Indictments against 11 high level Mexican drug cartel members unsealed

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon, and Associate Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of the DEA’s Los Angeles Division announced today in Washington D.C. the unsealing of federal indictments against 11 members of the notorious Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, or the “CJNG.” The investigation against the CJNG is being conducted by special agents from the DEA Los Angeles Division and federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice Criminal Division Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. Representatives from the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury participated in the press conference to announce financial sanctions against 63 entities affiliated with the CJNG and to also announce an increase for the capture reward for CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes.

The CJNG has emerged as the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and is considered by the Department of Justice as one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world. The CJNG is responsible for trafficking ton quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States – specifically into the Los Angeles area - as well as for significant violence in Mexico. The CJNG has grown in size and strength rapidly since its inception in 2009 and is estimated to control drug routes in 23 of 31 of the Mexican states. The cartel has also expanded globally, with significant presence and illicit business not only throughout this hemisphere, but also Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The following individuals hold leadership roles within the CJNG:

• Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, aka “Mencho”:  Oseguera-Cervantes, 52, is the lead defendant in a three-count superseding indictment returned in the District of Columbia in 2017 alleging that he is the leader of a Continuing Criminal Enterprise; conspired to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States; and has used a firearm, during and in relation to these drug trafficking crimes. He is currently a fugitive and was designated as a “Kingpin” under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by the Department of the Treasury in April 2015. 

• Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, aka, “Menchito”:  Oseguera-Gonzalez, 28, Oseguera-Cervantes’ son, served as the CJNG’s second in command until the time of his arrest by Mexican authorities in June 2015. Oseguera-Gonzalez is charged in a two-count indictment returned in the District of Columbia in 2017 alleging that between 2007 and February 2017, he engaged a conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States, and that Oseguera-Gonzalez engaged in the use of a firearm, during and in relation to one or more drug trafficking crimes. Oseguera-Gonzalez remains in Mexican custody. 

• Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia:  Gonzalez Valencia, 45, the head of the “Cuinis” organization, is charged in a three-count indictment returned in the District of Columbia in 2014 alleging that he was a leader in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise; conspired to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States; and used a firearm, during and in relation to one or more drug trafficking crimes. The CJNG has flourished, in significant part, because of its close affiliation with the Cuinis organization -- the primary financial support network of the CJNG drug trafficking efforts. The Cuinis organization is composed of multiple members of the Gonzalez Valencia family.  The relationship between the Cuinis organization and the CJNG is cemented through both intertwined drug trafficking and money laundering dealings as well as familial relationships. Gonzalez-Valencia was designated as a “Kingpin” under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by the Department of the Treasury in April 2015. Gonzalez Valencia was arrested by Mexican authorities in February 2015 pursuant to his charges in the U.S. 
    
• Jesus Contreras-Arceo, aka “Canasto”:  Contreras-Arceo, 41, is charged in a two-count indictment returned in the Eastern District of Virginia in 2017 alleging that between 2011 until March 2017, Contreras-Arceo engaged in a conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States and that Contreras-Arceo engaged in a conspiracy to commit money laundering. Contreras-Arceo was arrested by Mexican authorities in July 2018 pursuant to his charges in the U.S.

• Erick Valencia-Salazar, aka “El 85”:  Valencia Salazar, 41, is charged in a one-count indictment returned in the District of Columbia in 2018 alleging that between 2003 until August 2018, Valencia Salazar engaged in a conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of narcotics for illegal importation into the United States. Valencia Salazar is currently a fugitive and is believed to be in Mexico.

The following individuals linked to the CJNG have also been indicted as a result of the coordinated efforts against the cartel:

• Oswaldo de Jesus Miramontes-Diaz:  Miramontes-Diaz, 44, was charged in the Central District of California in 2015. Miramontes-Diaz is currently serving a sentence pursuant to the charges in the U.S. Miramontes-Diaz was arrested by DEA agents in August 2013 at a luxury Hollywood apartment complex as he attempted to sell approximately 50 kilograms of cocaine in exchange for $2.5 million.

• Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia, aka, “Lalo”:  Gonzalez Valencia, 41, was charged in the District of Columbia in 2016. He was arrested by Uruguayan authorities in April 2016 on these charges and is awaiting extradition.

• Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, aka, “Chepa”:  Gonzalez Valencia, 42, was charged in the District of Columbia in 2016. He was arrested by Brazilian authorities in December 2017 on these charges, and is awaiting extradition. 

• Ulises Yovany Mora-Tapia, aka, “Yiyo”:  Mora-Tapia, 33, was charged in the District of Columbia in 2016. Mora-Tapia is currently a fugitive and is believed to be in Mexico.

• Juan Manuel Abouzaid El Bayeh, aka, “El Escorpion”:  Abouzaid El Bayeh, 45, was charged in the District of Columbia in 2017. Abouzaid El Bayeh is currently a fugitive and is believed to be in Mexico.

• Alfredo Galindo-Salazar, aka, “Tucan”:  Galindo-Salazar, 47, was charged in the District of Columbia in 2018. Galindo-Salazar is currently a fugitive and is believed to be in Mexico.

“DEA Los Angeles will continue to lead the fight against this brutally violent drug cartel.  Our outstanding partnerships with the Treasury Department, the State Department, and Department of Justice Criminal Division Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have made this investigation successful,” said DEA Los Angeles Division Associate Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux.

As part of continuing efforts to cripple the operations of the CJNG, the U.S. Department of State announced that effective immediately, the reward for the capture of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, aka, “El Mencho” has been raised to $10,000,000. This reward represents one of the largest approved reward in the history of the State Department’s Narcotics Rewards Program. Individuals with information about this organization should contact the DEA Los Angeles by calling +1-213-237-9990, via email at MENCHOTIPS@usdoj.gov, or via Twitter, @DEALosAngeles.