Kevin Jenkins, 1:48 p.m. MDT June 23, 2016


(Photo: Purgatory Correctional Facility

An immigrant in the country illegally has pleaded guilty to possessing “a substantial amount” of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm for use in Southern Utah’s drug trade.

Octavio Garcia-Aispura, 32, of St. George, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to possessing 251 grams “of actual meth” within a mixture for distribution and a 9 mm Glock handgun for protection during the illegal trade.

He was assisted by a Spanish-language interpreter in entering the plea.

Under the terms of an agreement with Garcia-Aispura, the government asked the court to dismiss a third count charging him with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, which includes the Glock and three rifles recovered from his apartment a block from Pine View High School.

Garcia-Aispura was specifically targeted in a search warrant requested by the Washington County Drug Task Force for the Oct. 15 arrest at the residence where several vehicles were located, according to information filed with Utah’s 5th District Court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Bell said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency assisted the drug task force in the arrest.

Meth is normally sold to users by the gram and 50 grams is the threshold for the drug count in Garcia-Aispura’s case.

The meth and loaded Glock were found in a vehicle Garcia-Aispura had been driving.

The rifles included a .44 caliber Marlin, a 30-30 Winchester and a Beretta semiautomatic 12 gauge shotgun. State charges stemming from the incident were dismissed in October after the federal case was filed.

Garcia-Aispura faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of five years for the drug count, with a maximum of 40 years.

He faces five years to life for the gun charge, which must be served consecutively to the drug charge.

The plea deal acknowledges that the prosecution will recommend “the low end” of the sentencing range, however, and acknowledges that Garcia-Aispura may argue for less than the 10-year minimum he faces.

He has no prior criminal convictions in Utah.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12 in St. George.

http://www.thespectrum.com/story/new...case/86296082/