School board member pleads guilty to drug smuggling

BROWNSVILLE — A Progreso school board trustee said Thursday that he will resign, after pleading guilty to his role in a drug smuggling ring.

Prosecutors allege Raul Garcia, 35, ran a trucking company that transported at least 450 pounds of cocaine hidden in produce shipments.

“There is no excuse for what I did,” Garcia said during a phone interview from a federal detention center. “This is my mistake, and I ask God to forgive me.”

Earlier this month, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an illegal substance with intent to distribute.

He was indicted July 19 along with five other people involved in moving the cocaine from Progreso to points across the country. The names of several of his co-defendants remain sealed under the authority of a federal magistrate.

According to statements made in his plea agreement, Garcia opened the trucking company ARD Express as a front for the smuggling operation.

He hoped to make the company look legitimate by collecting employment documents from people hired to transport cocaine shipments to Florida, Houston and the east coast, the document states.

Undercover agents posing as potential drivers set up at least two shipments with Garcia and his fellow smugglers, according to court documents. In one case, the agent was told he would be shipping a load of carrots with cocaine hidden underneath.

Garcia has remained in federal custody without bond since last month.

“After doing this so long, nothing surprises me anymore,” said Armando Ramirez, an agent in the DEA’s Brownsville office. “I think it’s more of a surprise to the community to see their elected officials like this.”

Garcia first joined the school board in May 2004. He was re-elected in May this year to another three-year term, he said.

Progreso school district administrators, including Superintendent Fernando Castillo, did not return several calls for comment this week.

But one of Garcia’s fellow trustees said other board members knew about the arrest. They had not, however, heard about his plans to resign.

“We are going to have to go with the federal authorities,” trustee Juan Ramos said. “If he’s going to be locked up, we must fill his position.”

The board does not plan to discuss Garcia’s vacated seat during its regular meeting today, Ramos said.

Garcia’s sentencing has been set for Nov. 5.

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Martha Leticia Hernandez covers general assignments for La Frontera. You can reach her at (956) 683-4846.

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Jeremy Roebuck covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.