World Extreme Cagefighting fighter and former UFC combatant Leonard Garcia was arrested recently for his alleged involvement in an extensive cocaine drug trafficking ring in Texas according to Newschannel II in Lubbock. In fact, thirteen people were arrested in connection with the drug ring that apparently was preceded by a four-year investigation that involved not only local officials and state police, but federal help as well. Five federal indictments were issued for the accused, and there is no doubt that Leonard Garcia’s name is on one of those indictments.

Garcia had this to say about the case, reported by MMAJunkie.com:

"I am fighting it because there is nothing but someone saying I was involved,"  said Garcia, who was released from jail on a recognizance bond and will return to court on May 5. "I hope to have a smile on my face after this is said and done, but I feel like I'm in a fight for my life."

He continues his response by asking for support from his fans and asking them to stick with him in this fight for his life. Let me enlighten the general MMA fanbase on a few statistics that you can wrap your brain around.

Here’s a snapshot of some statistics on federal criminal cases which includes drug cases, props to MMAjunkie readers for pointing this out:

During 2004, criminal cases were commenced against 92,645 defendants in U.S. district court. Most (88%) were charged with a felony offense. Thirty-seven percent of felony defendants were charged with a drug offense; 36% of all defendants were charged with a public-order offense -- including 19% with an immigration offense and 11% with a weapons offense. Fifteen percent were charged with a property offense.

Cases were terminated against 83,391 defendants during 2004. Most (90%) defendants were convicted. Of the 74,782 defendants convicted, 72,152 (or 96%) pleaded guilty or no-contest.

96% of the defendants plead guilty or no-contest to the charges brought forth by federal charges who were convicted. 90% of the total number of cases brought up ended in conviction, so that leads 10% of the cases either ending in lesser charges or actual clearing of the charges.

Let me ask this question, and I’m sure I’ll get the same response from many of you. Does Leonard Garcia actually have a case here? Would the federal government hand down an indictment unless it had a lot of evidence in its corner? Doubtful. I hate to say it to the fans that support Leonard Garcia, but this doesn’t bode well for him at all. Much like Michael Vick, a federal indictment almost guarantees a case with solid evidence, and with a four-year investigation behind the claims, it’s hard to imagine Garcia simply being pointed at by someone and then thrown in the slammer. I’m sure there are some things that have been left out that will eventually surface when the jury trial happens.

Good luck, Leonard, you’re going to need it.