The United States announced today that it has taken into custody 26 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriffs’ deputy, and other crimes. Among the fugitives taken into U.S. custody today are leaders and managers of dangerous drug cartels, such as those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas). These fugitives are collectively alleged to have imported into the United States tonnage quantities of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
“Today is the latest example of the Trump administration’s historic efforts to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These 26 men have all played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores — under this Department of Justice, they will face severe consequences for their crimes against this country. We are grateful to Mexico’s National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.”
Included in today’s transfer are the following fugitives:
Abigael Gonzalez Valencia also known as “Cuini” – is one of the leaders of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States.Kevin Gil Acosta and Martin Zazueta Perez – According to court documents, Gil Acosta and Zazueta Perez are leaders of the security apparatus for the Chapitos, a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that engages in prolific fentanyl trafficking. Both men have led sicarios armed with military-style weapons – such as AK-47s, M-16s, AR-15s, and grenade launchers – in attacks on Mexican government and military officials. Gil Acosta leads sicarios tasked with protecting fentanyl labs and distribution routes while Zazueta Perez provides personal security for a leader of the Chapitos.Abdul Karim Conteh, a national of Sierra Leone, allegedly led a human smuggling organization that smuggled thousands of migrants to the United States through Mexico. These smuggled migrants originated from countries around the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Egypt, and others. The migrants paid smuggling fees, often tens of thousands of dollars. Conteh allegedly oversaw the migrants’ unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels.Leobardo Garcia Corrales is believed to be an important figure in the Sinaloa Cartel who has trafficked kilogram quantities of fentanyl into the United States, sometimes in exchange for military-grade weapons such as AK-47s, grenades, and submachine guns. He claims to be close friends and associates with Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, aka “El Chapo.”Luis Raul Castro Valenzuela also known as “Chacho,” a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been charged with kidnapping and holding hostage a U.S. citizen.Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum also known as “El Chavo Félix,” a major Sinaloa Cartel cell leader and son-in-law to former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, is alleged to be a principal operator of the Sinaloa Cartel’s clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories located in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico involved in the manufacturing and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States.Roberto Salazar is wanted in connection with the murder of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Juan Escalante, who was killed in 2008 when he was leaving his home during the early morning hours.Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as “Flaquito,” is a violent Tijuana Plaza boss who has operated with impunity during the last 15 years. Huerta-Nuno is alleged to have supplied thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to distributors and cells located throughout San Diego and Los Angeles. And in return, millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds were delivered to him and his organization via shipments of bulk cash from San Diego into Tijuana.
Below is a complete list of fugitives, as well as the districts in which they are charged and will appear in federal court in the coming days:
FugitiveArraignment JurisdictionStatutory MaximumEnrique Arballo TalamantesDistrict of New MexicoUp to life imprisonmentBenito Barrios MaldonadoDistrict of ArizonaUp to life imprisonmentLuis Raul Castro ValenzuelaDistrict of DelawareUp to life imprisonmentFrancisco ChavezDistrict of ColoradoUp to life imprisonmentAbdul Karim ContehSouthern District of California45 years’ imprisonmentBaldomero Fernandez BeltranDistrict of ArizonaUp to life imprisonmentIsmael Enrique Fernandez VazquezEastern District of TexasUp to life imprisonmentLeobardo Garcia CorralesSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentAbigael Gonzalez ValenciaDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Carlos Guzman BernalDistrict of AlaskaUp to life imprisonmentAnton Petrov KulkinDistrict of MassachusettsUp to life imprisonmentRoberto Omar LopezNorthern District of GeorgiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Francisco Mendoza GomezEastern District of VirginiaUp to life imprisonmentHernan Domingo Ojeda LopezDistrict of Columbia
Up to life imprisonment
Daniel Perez RojasDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJuan Carlos Sanchez GaytanSouthern District of TexasUp to life imprisonmentDavid Fernando Vasquez BejaranoEastern District of VirginiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Antonio Vivanco HernandezNorthern District of IllinoisUp to life imprisonmentMauro Alberto Nunez OjedaDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJuan Carlos Felix GastelumSouthern District of CaliforniaUp to life imprisonmentJesus Guzman CastroEastern District of New York and District of South CarolinaUp to life imprisonmentPablo Edwin Huerta NunoSouthern District of CaliforniaUp to life imprisonmentServando Gomez MartinezSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentKevin Gil AcostaSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentRoberto SalazarCA: Los Angeles CountyUp to life imprisonmentMartin Zazueta PerezSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonment
Attorney General Pamela Bondi thanked the law enforcement officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles County Police Department for their valuable contributions to these investigations.
The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, as well as the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Alaska, District of Arizona, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Colorado, Middle District of North Carolina, District of Delaware, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Illinois, District of Massachusetts, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, District of South Carolina, Eastern District of Virginia, Northern District of Texas, Eastern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas and Los Angeles County for handling the prosecutions of these cases. The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs which provided critical assistance in securing the transfer of these fugitives to the United States to face justice.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
