[5][6][7] He graduated from Seton Hall University, where he received a BS in Criminal Justice and Sociology, and from Stevens Institute of Technology, where he earned a Master of Science in Information Systems.

[2] Garcia was one of 50 people selected in 2012 to participate in NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program,[8] which focuses on affordable housing and includes a three-week session at Harvard University.

[10][5] In 2006 he was reprimanded by the New Jersey School Ethics Commission for his August 2005 votes to hire his brother as a custodian and to award a $60,000 contract to Fitzgibbons' public relations firm.

[14][5][7] Garcia was terminated as executive director of the HHA in 2014 and subsequently sued the housing board, claiming Mayor Dawn Zimmer was engaging in "ethnic cleansing" by removing minorities from positions of power.

[19] In 2013, prior to the termination of his HHA contract, Garcia ran for the General Assembly in the June Democratic primary election on a ticket with State Senator Brian P. Stack and Raj Mukherji.

[22] Shortly after, an appellate court overturned Judge Bariso's decision based on a change in Hatch Act regulations and Garcia was deemed eligible to run for office.

[28][29] After 14 months in office, Garcia lost the backing of the powerful Hudson County Democratic Organization, which chose Annette Chaparro, a Zimmer-approved candidate, to run for his seat in the November 2015 election.

[38] After leaving his Newark government positions about April 2019, he became the manager of a consulting firm and works with his daughter, Leah Garcia, on marketing a life coaching app.

[41][42] In October 2021, Garcia was indicted on charges that he accepted bribes in exchange for using his official positions within Newark "as specific opportunities arose" for conspirators Frank Valvano Jr. and Irwin Sablosky to obtain real estate.

“We entrust public officials to act in the best interest of the people they serve, not to abuse their position for their own personal gain,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said in a statement.