The leader of a drug trafficking ring that advertised on social media will spend the next two decades behind bars.
Following his guilty plea, 24-year-old Ricardo Rosas Garcia was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison.
According to plea papers, Rosas admitted his organization used the social media handles “Ricky Rosas,” “rickyrosastv3,” and “rickyrosastc6” to advertise and sell controlled substances and firearms on social media sites including Instagram and Telegram.
After receiving numerous complaints from Irving-area high schools, the Irving Police Department identified Rosas and conducted 14 undercover buys of cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, TCH and other drugs advertised on his account, including one from Mr. Rosas himself. They also negotiated with Rosas to purchase a black .40 caliber Beretta handgun, which an associate delivered to an undercover agent.
He was arrested in August of 2020.
At sentencing, prosecutors presented evidence that this group had been tied to violent crime in Irving and was involved in illegal firearm sales. They also knowingly employed several juveniles as young as 15 years old to sell drugs for them around the metroplex, and put the lives in danger by publishing on social media the names of individuals they believed to be cooperating with the government.
Three of Mr. Rosas’ coconspirators; Anthony Isaac Ventura, Addiel Isaias Portillo, and Uziel Hernandez also pleaded guilty to various drug charges related to the case.
The Irving Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myria Boehm prosecuted the case.
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