Crisantos “Ventex” Garcia, a 34-year-old from Albuquerque, is behind bars after federal agents say a bold jailbreak scheme brought him to a hard stop in Phoenix. Investigators allege Garcia was gearing up for a violent escape operation, stockpiling firearms, ammunition, cash and a stolen vehicle, and even talking about stashing weapons at a hospital. FBI Phoenix detectives say that when agents moved in, Garcia tried to bolt and wound up leaving a minor stepson behind before he was finally caught. He remains jailed on federal charges.
According to AZ Family, court documents state that agents searched three northwest Albuquerque homes tied to Garcia. Inside, they reported finding more than a dozen firearms, ballistic vests, thousands of rounds of ammunition, roughly 151 grams of fentanyl pills and several high-value vehicles, including a Dodge Hellcat. Prosecutors say laboratory testing later linked Garcia’s DNA to two of the recovered guns, and agents also seized his cellphone after the arrest. Investigators allege those weapons, drugs and assets were being assembled to pull off an inmate’s escape from custody.
Arrest in Phoenix and alleged flight
FBI Phoenix detectives arrested Garcia in the Valley on Tuesday after what KOB describes as a brief but chaotic pursuit. Investigators told the outlet that Garcia jumped walls and sprinted through buildings and parking lots with his minor stepson in tow, then allegedly ditched the child and kept running. According to authorities, he ultimately suffered multiple broken bones after leaping from a second-story window into a neighbor’s house in an attempt to get away. Garcia was treated at a Phoenix hospital, where agents say they again secured his cellphone as part of the investigation.
Alleged target and escape plan
Investigators say the operation was aimed at busting out Dakota Briscoe, an Albuquerque man serving a 25-year federal sentence for a violent crime spree in 2020. According to court filings, Briscoe allegedly instructed Garcia to hide a gun and cash at the University of New Mexico Hospital. As reported by AZ Family, the plan called for Briscoe to fake a medical emergency during a scheduled court appearance on Tuesday so jail staff would transfer him to the hospital, where he could then escape and head for Mexico. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is handling the prosecution, according to court documents.
Charges and potential penalties…