FLORENCE, S.C. — Francisco Villa-Garcia, also known as Francisco Villa-Dominguez, Andres Busto, and Jesus Pineda Dominguez, 68, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in the importation of more than 8 kilograms of fentanyl from Mexico to South Carolina.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Villa-Garcia illegally entered the United States in or around 2022, having been previously deported to Mexico in 2019 after serving 15 years in federal prison on a prior drug trafficking conviction in California. Once in the United States, he ordered two shipments of what was supposed to be heroin but contained fentanyl.  The drugs, valued at $45,000 per kilogram, were supposed to be provided to co-conspirators in Kingstree for further distribution. Investigators learned of this plan, however, and set up a sting operation that caught the conspirators in the process of receiving the second shipment.

Records reflect that Villa-Garcia has prior convictions dating back to 1984, including possession of cocaine, illegal reentry, driving under the influence, hit and run causing injury, extortion, and sale of methamphetamine.  He was also deported to Mexico in 2019 based on 2005 federal convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry in the Central District of California. 

The Court sentenced Villa-Garcia to 97 months in federal prison on his new conviction, and to a concurrent sentence of 51 months for violating the terms of his release from his 2005 convictions.  He will be deported to Mexico upon the completion of the service of his sentences. Co-defendants Eriberto Navarro Lopez of Mexico City, Mexico, and Marone Lawatis Nesmith of Kingstree also pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office in close coordination with the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian prosecuted the case.

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