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A Waterloo woman who was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking ring will spent the next decade in federal prison.

A judge handed down the 10-year sentence for 34-year-old Breanna Garcia Tuesday after she pleaded to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in May. Court records show Garcia was involved in a drug-trafficking operation that was importing and distributing more than 4,000 grams of methamphetamine between Mexico and Iowa in 2018.

As part of the probe, investigators tapped a phone used by Garcia's boyfriend, Travis Werkmeister. The U.S. Attorney's Office said there were thousands of calls and text messages between Garcia, Werkmeister and other members of the drug-distribution organization.

Court records show Werkmeister worked with Mario Hernandez, the Mexico-based leader of the organization, to import and distribute kilos of methamphetamine in Iowa. Garcia would collect money and meet with other members of the organization on behalf of Werkmeister, investigators said.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Garcia has a lengthy criminal history. Court records show she has acquired 21 criminal convictions since 2006.

There is no parole in the federal prison system. After completing her 120-month sentence, Garcia must also serve a five-year term of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment fee.

In July, Werkmeister was sentenced to 29 years in federal prison for his role involvement in the drug-trafficking ring.

Multiple local agencies were involved in the drug-trafficking probe. THe case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

attachment-Travis Werkmeister
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