In 2018, the Department of Justice announced 15 indictments nationwide aimed at taking down CJNG leaders, including one case unsealed that day in the Southern District of California. HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. Caldern said CJNG soldiers have filmed themselves driving military-style armored vehicles into towns previously controlled by rival groups and claiming them as their own. For the better part of a decade, federal prosecutions of Mexican drug cartel leaders carried out in San Diego have focused largely on the Sinaloa Cartel, and before that the Arellano Flix Organization, the two groups that have historically dominated the lucrative Tijuana-San Diego smuggling route. In court filings, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin recommended seven-year terms, which were several years less than what federal sentencing guidelines suggested. Mexican soldiers and federal agents captured El Menchos older brother, manufacturing the groups armored vehicles, he died in May 2019 under unclear circumstances, http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2022/12/san-diego-quietly-prosecuting-cjng.html, Complete Media Blackout As Migrants Take Over Streets Of El Paso, Texas! Meanwhile, federal agents had under surveillance an Otay Mesa truck yard tied to Jorges cross-border trucking companies. One of the defendants, Raul Barajas-Padilla, appeared in federal court yesterday for an initial appearance on the indictment. Efforts remain ongoing to apprehend the remaining defendants. SAN DIEGO A two-year investigation has led to the indictment of 26 defendants for international drug smuggling, drug trafficking, and related conspiracy offenses. The U.S. Attorneys Office has kept the prosecution against Zapin, Padilla and their unnamed co-defendants mostly under wraps and did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Authorities say Rodriguez Alcalas apprehension and prosecution is part of an investigation into the Valenzuela Transnational Criminal Organization, described as a significant component of the Sinaloa Cartel.. 880 Front Street, Room 6293 These drawings contained information, which is required for the design, development, production, manufacture, assembly, operation, repair, testing, maintenance, or modification of defense articles. This could be an increasing trend, Caldern said of the targeting of top CJNG members. Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below! An official website of the United States government. Remember This Day! - Must Video, The Q Storm Hits Jan 19th [1.19] Judgement Day! (Courtesy of U.S. I believe my client was treated fairly by the court, he accepted responsibility for what he did, and he at no point did, or will ever, cooperate, Zapin attorney Jason Conforti said. This case is a good example of the commitment by the U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement agency partners to combat the scourge of fentanyl and illegal firearm trafficking, said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Lock ; and Jose Bernabe Zamora-Cardenas, also known as Mufa, 52, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Kan. Initial appearances for the defendants will occur before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. This long-term investigation has resulted in the seizure of nearly half a million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills plus additional quantities of fentanyl in powder form, said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Two years earlier, he had escaped from a prison in Sinaloa, walking out the front door disguised as a prison guard. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Agents also seized about $230,000 in assets. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE to report suspicious activityReport Crime, Learn facts about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. SEVP is a part of the National Security Investigations Division and acts as a bridge for government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students. That arrest in Jalisco was unrelated to the recent sentencings here of Zapin and Padilla, according to Zapins attorney. But lawyers for the hospital say the medical records show he was unconscious. If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason: Mica/DrivingMSSQL for Borderlandbeat.com. Last month, a federal judge sentenced two former high-ranking members of the Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin, part of an ongoing prosecution against at least 12 people charged with drug trafficking and money laundering crimes. Zapin was arrested in September 2016 in Playas del Rosarito in Baja California. A consumer advocacy group had sought emails, meeting schedules and other records after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the insurance commissioner had accepted political contributions from insurers and intervened in administrative cases to benefit some donors. Please reload the page and try again. Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin- Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much Alexander Michael Randise, 29, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court last year to a fentanyl distribution charge, stemming from the December 2021 death of Tyber Joseph Lustig, U.S. District Court Judge Larry Burns ruled the 2021 law did not violate gun owners rights under the Second Amendment, Preliminary hearing of Larry Millete, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering his missing wife Maya Millete, could run two weeks or longer. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Alexander . In 2018, the Department of Justice announced 15 indictments nationwide aimed at taking down CJNG leaders, including one case unsealed that day in the Southern District of California. In court filings, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Martin recommended seven-year terms, which were several years less than what federal sentencing guidelines suggested. They just love showcasing what they can do.. I believe my client was treated fairly by the court, he accepted responsibility for what he did, and he at no point did, or will ever, cooperate, Zapin attorney Jason Conforti said. NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY - June 14, 2022. Wuendi is accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash at a time from drug- and gun-trafficking and then driving it herself into Mexico, where it would be used to pay corrupt Mexican government officials and members of the organization, Sutton said. In addition to DEA and HSI, agencies included the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriffs Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriffs Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. KANSAS CITY, Mo. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. So far, 17 defendants have been arrested. As recently as last week she was receiving threats from the same people who killed her brother, attorney Jeremy Warren told the judge. Padilla was described in Mexican media reports as one of El Menchos lieutenants. Both were extradited to San Diego within the last two years. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Doctor and Office Manager Indicted in Scheme to Defraud Medicare, Manufacture and Distribute Fentanyl. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Services, U.S. Army, Criminal Investigation Division, National Security Division, and the Department of Justice began the probe in November 2017. State, local, and federal law enforcement agencies worked together in this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation to bring drug traffickers to justice and protect our community from the violence and other harms that result from the flow of illegal drugs.. No one thought they would overcome Sinaloa. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The (CJNG) was kind of underrated for a while. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. Assistant U. S. Attorney Owen Roth (619) 546-7710 and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shauna R. Prewitt (619) 546-7937. Public Awareness Kills All Protections! Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Trafficker Extradited, Appears in San Diego Federal Court, MexicoArrests Ovidio Guzman, Son of El Chapo and Sinaloa Cartel Leader, Alleged Drug Trafficker Extradited to San Diego From Argentina, Top Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderer Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, Valenzuela Transnational Criminal Organization, K-9 Sniffs Out $4M of Cocaine Within Decorative Stone at Tecate Port of Entry, Home or Business Damaged in Recent Storms? With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Millions in America Are About to Wake Up to the Mother of All DisastersInside Leaks! So far, only Zapin, Padilla and two other defendants have been identified, while the other eight or so names from the indictment including those of the top four defendants have remained sealed. HSIs international presence represents DHSs largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement. Biden Ends Trump Border Policies! The Afternoon That Burned Tecomn, Colima, Elements Of The National Guard Secure An Arsenal In Zacoalco De Torres, Jalisco, Judge To Rule On 'Mayito Gordo's' Injunction Against 10-year Prison Sentence, This Is The Entire Family Of "El Mencho" Arrested And A Score Of CJNG Members, Sam Gor Leader Tse Li Chop, "Asia's El Chapo", is Extradited to Australia. The .gov means its official. Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations also seized 24 cellphones during the warehouse operation, adding to the 15 that were taken off Jorge during his airport arrest. He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. - Twenty Mexican nationals are among 39 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin over the past two years. This operation took a significant amount of illegal drugs off the street, and disrupted a large Mexican drug-trafficking organization in the Kansas City metropolitan area, said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. and those guys were one of CJNG's first flipped crewsAnd that it's been since 2016 and they haven't unsealed the indictment, Comments are moderated, refer to policy for more information.Enva fotos, vdeos, notas, enlaces o informacin Todo 100% Annimo;borderlandbeat@gmail.com. Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex- Nature's most important supplement! They know how volatile El Mencho is, how extreme his measures of violence are.. Theyre saying Were here, now you know whos the boss, respect us because El Menchos here, Caldern said. Prosecutions bring a lot of money, Broke Ass San Diego needs a lot of help to keep ots ass out of bankruptcy. Feds Raid 24 San Diego Slaphouses, Links to Drugs and V-Boys Street Gang. Not every brutal domestic homicide falls within federal jurisdiction, but when it does, we are determined to use whatever tools we have to bring the perpetrator to justice. For media inquiries about this release, call (347) 541-1085. Through four undercover purchases between November 2021 and January 2022, ATF purchased eight firearms, ammunition, and 61 fentanyl pills from Adcock, the affidavit said. The U.S. Attorneys Office has kept the prosecution against Zapin, Padilla and their unnamed co-defendants mostly under wraps and did not respond to multiple requests for comment. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Michael Pratt Captured in Spain. In 2018, the Department of Justice announced 15 indictments nationwide aimed at taking down CJNG leaders, including one case unsealed that day in the Southern District of California. For media inquiries about ICE activities, operations, or policies, contact the ICE Office of Public Affairs at (202) 732-4646. Three of the federal defendants were already in custody at the time of the takedown and five of the federal defendants remain fugitives from justice. "This operation took a significant amount of illegal drugs off the street, and . Factory Orders At 2008 Levels! Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. energy. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. Get information about how to check in with your local ICE Office here. How did a gringo become part of the top narco world? Not only do the groups members hang bodies from bridges, scatter severed heads in public places and leave written signs taking ownership of murders and attacks, but they also livestream deadly clashes with government forces or rival cartels. Over the past few years Southern California has seen an increase in individuals making firearms and selling them without a license, said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Monique Villegas. Rodriguez Alcala was arrested by Ecuadorian authorities in November while he was visiting the capital city of Quito, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. My guess is there have been some prosecutions (of top CJNG leaders) but (authorities) are keeping the cases more low profile, said Laura Caldern, program director for the University of San Diegos Justice in Mexico project. THPP is cooperating with the investigation. destroys County Seeks Help for Disaster Assistance, SANDAGs Divided Board Off to a Rocky Year After Smaller City Walkout, Tips Sought in Morena Hit-Run on Dec. 30 That Fatally Injured Martin Romo, 61, Opinion: Three Ways that California Can Prepare for Future Atmospheric Rivers, Santee YMCA Closing Early, Fearing Rally Clashes Over Teen's Report, Trans Rights, Opinion: SunbreakRanchIs the Answer to San Diego -- and Americas -- Homeless Crisis, Opinion: Latest Chargers Loss a Reminder of Why San Diego Fans Let Them Leave, San Diego Police Shoot, Kill Man, 77, Sought in Younger Woman's Fatal Stabbing, Family of 6, Including New Baby, Dead in Drug Cartel Massacre in Central Valley, Animal Services Officers Rescue Dog Trapped in Oil Reservoir in Ramona Garage, Parcels Near Cal State San Marcos Sold for Nearly $6M in Area Slated for Redevelopment, Fundraiser for Former San Diego Police Officer Darnell Calhoun Passes $150K, Heavy Rain Runoff and Sewage Spills Close Beaches Across San Diego Area, Three More Arrests Made in Alleged Large-Scale Theft, Robbery Ring, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Wuendi is charged with conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine although Sutton clarified she is not suspected of personally handling the drugs as well as conspiracy to launder money. Episode 5: What's it like to be a special agent with HSI? U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California, San Diego Man Indicted for Sale of Ghost Guns, Possession of Homemade Machine Gun, and Distribution of Fentanyl, San Diego Man Indicted For Sale of Ghost Guns, Possession of Homemade Machine Gun, and Distribution of Fentanyl. The bloodshed is believed to be part of the ongoing struggle for power over the weakened Sinaloa cartel. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Duberek was indicted about six months later and pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of interstate domestic violence resulting in death. It was a two-count drug conspiracy indictmentcharging Juan Jos Prez Vargas, known as El Pioln, who was believed to be the leader of CJNGs operations in Tijuana. Photos of Cartel Jalisco New Generation leader Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera and methamphetamine confiscated in a local operation are displayed at a news conference at the DEA San Diego office in 2020. According to the initial indictment, both men were part of a conspiracy to traffic cocaine, heroin, cannabis and methamphetamine into the U.S., and both were also part of a conspiracy to launder the drug proceeds. Bioavailable Copper He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter After that, you will be redirect to your options page. Court records show a judge issued arrest warrants for both men in March 2016. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. The group is suspected of being behind attacks this summer involving dozens of burning vehicles that essentially shut down Tijuana and several other Mexican cities over the course of several days. The prosecution of high-ranking CJNG members in San Diego federal court has appeared relatively rare, though there have been some exceptions. The 2022 Locality Pay Adjustment for this locality is 32.01%, which means that GS employees in this area are paid 32.01% more then the GS Base Pay Table.. Federal agents seize $3.5 million, large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, ammunition and body-armor vests at an Otay Mesa trucking yard in November 2020. Assistant U.S. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. This Is Huge! While the major city in this Locality Area is San Diego, California, federal . Metal containers of .50 caliber ammunition was found loaded into a tractor-trailer at an Otay Mesa trucking yard, ready to be transported to Mexico, investigators said. Our free newsletter is delivered at 8 a.m. daily. San Diego quietly prosecuting high-ranking members of ultra-violent Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin. Posted on: April 15, 2021, 06:01h. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. The U.S. Attorneys Office will work together with our law enforcement partners to protect military technology. Grossman thanked the prosecution team, HSI and DCIS for their excellent work on this case. All of the defendants are charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to June 1, 2022. Brayan Alberto Rodriguez Alcala, 23, of Culiacan, Mexico, is charged in a grand jury indictment with trafficking cocaine from Central and South America to Mexico and the U.S., as well as laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. The siblings are accused of stepping into the void left by another brother, Luis Gabriel Valenzuela Valenzuela, who was the logistics and financial operator of a money laundering network for Sinaloa kingpin Ismael El Mayo Zambada. The indictment alleges the conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce. New Monkey Werx SITREP 1.18.23 - Is History Repeating Itself? The (CJNG) was kind of underrated for a while. Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case. A lock ( HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water- Improve immune system health andreduce inflammation. MitoCopper- The indictment alleges Sanchez-Mendez and Morales-Garcia occupied a position of organizer, supervisor, or manager of the ongoing criminal enterprise, from which they obtained substantial income. The indictment alleges that these brothers disregarded important regulations designed to keep sensitive information from falling into the hands of those who would harm America, said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. But last month, a federal judge sentenced two former high-ranking members of the Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin, part of an ongoing prosecution against at least 12 people charged with drug trafficking and money laundering crimes. Not only do the groups members hang bodies from bridges, scatter severed heads in public places and leave written signs taking ownership of murders and attacks, but they also livestream deadly clashes with government forces or rival cartels. She was arrested in a traffic stop on Nov. 2. That arrest in Jalisco was unrelated to the recent sentencings here of Zapin and Padilla, according to Zapins attorney. The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations that would require the defendants to forfeit to the government $4,718,700, which represents the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy and criminal enterprise. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv. 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On June 8, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an operation that involved 140 officers and agents from 14 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. So far, 34 defendants have been charged, including Rodriguez Alcala, who was charged in an indictment returned in October. The prosecution of high-ranking CJNG members in San Diego federal court has appeared relatively rare, though there have been some exceptions. At the time, he was in Mexican custody following his 2017 capture in Guadalajara. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorneys Office, ATF and the San Diego Police Department to investigate and prosecute the trafficking of firearms ghost guns in particular and the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs, such as fentanyl. Seven of the 30 defendants in the recent indictment have been arrested in San Diego; the names of the others, apparently still at large, are redacted. Worldwide Darkness, The Rapture and War Coming Soon!! You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune. He had been held there on charges related to a military convoy ambush in which five soldiers were killed in 2016. Lock And neither the government nor defense attorneys for Zapin or Padilla filed sentencing memorandums that typically spell out the details of the criminal conduct. So far, only Zapin, Padilla and two other defendants have been identified, while the other eight or so names from the indictment including those of the top four defendants have remained sealed. Media reports at the time of his extradition had described Zapin as a close collaborator of El Mencho. *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Federal courthouse in downtown San Diego. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. No one thought they would overcome Sinaloa. Both men admitted the shipments of cocaine they coordinated totaled more than 330 pounds but less than 990 pounds. TTY: (619) 557-3450. DCIS will always take aggressive action with our law enforcement partners to deter and investigate any such threats to our national defense.. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. The group made international headlines again this week when Mexican soldiers and federal agents captured El Menchos older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, alias Tony Montana. One part of his responsibilities was allegedly manufacturing the groups armored vehicles. ; Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 41, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo., Jennifer S. Lawson, 35, of Buckner, Mo. It was a two-count drug conspiracy indictment charging Juan Jos Prez Vargas, known as El Pioln, who was believed to be the leader of CJNGs operations in Tijuana. "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat Rene Enriquez Jr. son of Rene 'Boxer' Enriquez Prosecutors believe a murder suspect ac "HEARST" and "SoCalJ" for Borderland Beat A 10-month-old infant, a young mother, and an elderly woman were among the 6 "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat The body of Vanessa Torres, a policewoman kidnapped in Cordoba, Veracruz, was found with obviou Mica for Borderlandbeat.com In 2008, I learned about La Barbie and became obsessed.