U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Leadership Of The Sinaloa Cartel And 25 Other Defendants In Massive Fentanyl Importation And Trafficking Conspiracies

 

Three Sons of “El Chapo,” Known as the “Chapitos,” Led Efforts to Manufacture and Transport Staggering Quantities of Fentanyl Made from Chinese Chemicals to the United States

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Lisa O. Monaco, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of fentanyl trafficking, weapons, and money laundering charges contained in three Indictments charging 28 defendants, including 23 based in Mexico, four based in China, and one based in Guatemala.

Since at least in or about 2014, the Sinaloa Cartel has run a global fentanyl manufacturing and distribution operation, sending massive quantities of fentanyl — a drug that has killed unprecedented numbers of Americans — into the United States.  Cartel leadership includes three sons of the Sinaloa Cartel’s former leader, Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, a/k/a “El Chapo,” known as the “Chapitos”: IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, a/k/a “Alfredo,” and OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, a/k/a “Raton.”  Together with their co-conspirators, the Chapitos allegedly controlled extensive, multi-faceted, and international operations covering the fentanyl trade, which was designed to pump staggering quantities of fentanyl into the United States — in IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR’s words, to flood the United States with fentanyl in order to supply “streets of junkies.”  The Indictments returned today charge not only the Chapitos but also top lieutenants and leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel; alleged manufacturers and distributors of the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl; the managers of the violent armed security apparatus that protects the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug trafficking operations; the sophisticated money launderers who repatriate the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug proceeds back to Mexico; and multiple chemical precursor suppliers in China that fuel the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl distribution operation.  Through these efforts, the Chapitos and the Sinaloa Cartel allegedly reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in profits by flooding the United States with fentanyl.  Seven defendants are in custody pending extradition proceedings: OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ was arrested in Mexico; CARLOS OMAR FELIEX GUTIERREZ and SILVANO FRANCISCO MARIANO, a/k/a “Rayo,” were arrested in Colombia; SERGIO DUARTE FRIAS, ANA GABRIELA RUBIO ZEA, and HUMBERTO BELTRAN CUEN, a/k/a “Don Chino,” were arrested in Guatemala; and ANASTACIO SOTO VEGA, a/k/a “Tachin,” was arrested in Greece.  Additionally, JULIO MARIN GONZALEZ was previously arrested in the United States and will be arraigned before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For over a decade, the illicit fentanyl trade has created a plague of addiction, death, and misery for Americans and New Yorkers of all walks of life.  As alleged, the sons of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel leader ‘El Chapo,’ Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, commanded the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking operation.  Today’s charges target not only Sinaloa Cartel leadership but the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure, including the armed enforcers who use abhorrent violence to protect the Cartel, the lab operators who produce untold quantities of fentanyl, the drug traffickers who move their deadly fentanyl into and throughout the United States, the money launderers who funnel proceeds back to the Cartel, and the China-based chemical suppliers who service the Cartel.  I commend the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration for their tireless efforts to disrupt the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl trafficking at all levels.  We hope that today’s charges are a major step toward accountability for those who have for so long pushed this poison into our communities.”

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Today, the Justice Department is announcing significant enforcement actions against the largest, most violent, and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world – run by the Sinaloa Cartel, and fueled by Chinese precursor chemical and pharmaceutical companies.  Families and communities across our country are being devastated by the fentanyl epidemic.  Today’s actions demonstrate the comprehensive approach the Justice Department is taking to disrupt fentanyl trafficking and save American lives.”

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: “The fentanyl crisis in America – fueled in large part by the Sinaloa cartel – threatens our public health, our public safety, and our national security.  Today’s indictments target every element of the Sinaloa Cartel's trafficking network and reflect the Justice Department's commitment to attacking every aspect of this threat: from the chemical companies in China that spawn fentanyl precursors, to the illicit labs that produce the poison, to the networks and money launderers and murderers that facilitate its distribution.  Just as we have gone on offense against terrorists and cyber criminals around the globe, the Department is now waging a relentless campaign to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl – before it can reach its victims.”

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Today’s indictments send a clear message to the Chapitos, the Sinaloa Cartel, and criminal drug networks around the world that the DEA will stop at nothing to protect the national security of the United States and the safety and health of the American people.  The Chapitos pioneered the manufacture and trafficking of fentanyl – the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced – flooded it into the United States for the past eight years and killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.  Over the last year and a half, the DEA proactively infiltrated the Sinaloa Cartel and the Chapitos network, obtained unprecedented access to the organization’s highest levels, and followed them across the world.  I am grateful to the men and women of the DEA for their exceptional work on this case, which is the beginning of our work as ‘One DEA’ to dismantle every part of the criminal cartels that are killing Americans at record rates.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictments, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]

The Sinaloa Cartel (the “Cartel”) is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico and is largely responsible for the manufacturing and importing of fentanyl for distribution in the United States.  Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin.  Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49, and it has fueled the opioid epidemic that has been ravaging families and communities across the United States for the past approximately eight years.  Between 2019 and 2021, fatal overdoses increased by approximately 94%, with an estimated 196 Americans dying each day from fentanyl.

The Cartel is led, in part, by IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who are sons of the Cartel’s notorious former leader, Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, a/k/a “El Chapo,” and are known collectively as the “Chapitos.”

Since in or about 2014, the Chapitos’ alleged fentanyl trafficking operation for the Cartel has grown exponentially in volume, scale, and sophistication.  Under the Chapitos’ leadership, the Cartel operates a vast fentanyl trafficking operation that integrates each step in the fentanyl trade, from manufacture to distribution.  Members and affiliates of the Cartel purchase and import fentanyl precursor chemicals from China directly or through third countries, manufacture fentanyl in laboratories in the mountains of Sinaloa, move that fentanyl across the border into the United States, distribute that fentanyl through various networks operating across the United States, and launder the proceeds back to Mexico.

As a critical part of the fentanyl trafficking enterprise, the Cartel relies on and directs hundreds of violent, heavily armed soldiers (known as sicarios) to protect the Cartel’s fentanyl operations at every step and intimidate others who might attempt to cheat, interfere with, or compete against the Cartel through kidnapping, torture, and murder using machineguns and other weaponry.  As alleged, the Chapitos’ sicarios operated under the direction of the Chapitos and OSCAR NOE MEDINA GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Panu,” NESTOR ISIDRO PEREZ SALAS, a/k/a “Nini,” and JORGE HUMBERTO FIGUEROA BENITEZ, a/k/a “27,” to kidnap, torture, and kill anyone who opposed the Chapitos.

To manufacture fentanyl, the Cartel uses precursor chemicals procured principally from China.  As alleged, the Cartel relies on brokers such as ANA GABRIELA RUBIO ZEA, a/k/a “Gaby,” who procure fentanyl precursor chemicals for the Cartel through Chinese chemical companies and the owners and operators of the Chinese chemical companies, including KUN JIANG, YONGHAO WU, a/k/a “Tim,” YAQIN WU, a/k/a “Lily,” and HUATAO YAO, a/k/a “Yao.”

The Cartel also employs skilled chemists — or “cooks” — who have expertise in synthesizing fentanyl from the China-sourced precursor chemicals.  In one day alone, a Cartel cook can manufacture over 100,000 pills using pill press machines.  In some instances, Cartel traffickers under the Chapitos have tested the purity of their fentanyl by testing it on others.  For example, in or about 2022, PEREZ SALAZ and FIGUEROA BENITEZ experimented on a woman by injecting her repeatedly with doses of fentanyl until she died.

Led by the Chapitos, the trafficking of finished fentanyl powder and pills is a main goal of the Cartel and one of its most lucrative endeavors.  Most often, the Cartel’s fentanyl crosses into the United States at ports of entry, including concealed in secret compartments of cars, disguised among goods in tractor-trailers, hidden in luggage on planes, obscured through fake paperwork in shipping containers, or secreted on or in the bodies of drug mules.

Once the Cartel’s fentanyl is transported into the United States, Cartel traffickers maintain designated stash locations where the fentanyl is stored, and the Cartel’s U.S.-based distribution network then sells the fentanyl wholesale for retail distribution throughout the United States, including in New York City.  In 2022, alone, the DEA seized over 57 million fentanyl-laced pills and over 13,000 pounds of fentanyl powder — the equivalent of approximately 410 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl.  

Finally, as alleged, the Cartel relies on increasingly sophisticated ways of laundering fentanyl proceeds from the United States back into Mexico to enrich the Chapitos.  For example, over the course of approximately two years, a single Cartel trafficker in the United States assisted in the laundering of more than $24 million in narcotics proceeds belonging to OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ by providing to Cartel money launderers in the United States approximately $15 million and by sending approximately $9 million in bulk cash to Mexico hidden in secret compartments in cars.  Other alleged Cartel money launderers, including MARIO ALBERTO JIMENEZ CASTRO, a/k/a “Kastor,” and SERGIO DUARTE FRIAS, have used cryptocurrency wallets to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in fentanyl proceeds for the Cartel.

A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is attached.  The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; Atlanta Division Office; Aviation Division; Boston Division Office; Denver Division Office; Imperial County District Office; Indianapolis District Office; Los Angeles Division Office; Nashville District Office; Newark Division Office; New York Division Office; Omaha Division Office; Orlando District Office; Philadelphia Division Office; Phoenix Division Office; Riverside District Office; Salt Lake City District Office; San Diego Division Office; San Ysidro District Office; Madrid Country Office; Athens Country Office; Bogota Country Office; Canberra Country Office; Guatemala City Country Office; Vienna Country Office; and multiple DEA offices throughout Mexico, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control; and the U.S. Department of State, Rewards for Justice Program.

The charges in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States v. Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 23 Cr. 42

Defendant	Age	Charges	Minimum and Maximum Penalties
OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, a/k/a “Raton”	33	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison

United States v. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, et al., 23 Cr. 180 

Defendant	Age	Charges	Minimum and Maximum Penalties
IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR	39	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison
JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, a/k/a “Alfredo”	36	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison
OSCAR NOE MEDINA GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Panu”	39	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison
NESTOR ISIDRO PEREZ SALAS, a/k/a “Nini”	31	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison
JORGE HUMBERTO FIGUEROA BENITEZ, a/k/a “27”	31	Continuing criminal enterprise; fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Mandatory life in prison
LIBORIO NUNEZ AGUIRRE, a/k/a “Karateca”	65	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
NOEL PEREZ LOPEZ, a/k/a “Tio”	42	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
SAMUEL LEON ALVARADO	34	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
LUIS JAVIER BENITEZ ESPINOZA, a/k/a “El Fourteen”	22	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
ALAN GABRIEL NUNEZ HERRERA	29	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
JUAN PABLO LOZANO, a/k/a “Camaron”	30	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
CARLOS LIMON	19	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
JESUS TIRADO ANDRADE	26	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
CARLOS OMAR FELIX GUTIERREZ	22	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
SILVANO FRANCISCO MARIANO, a/k/a “Rayo”	41	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
JULIO MARIN GONZALEZ	32	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
MARIO ALBERTO JIMENEZ CASTRO, a/k/a “Kastor”	34	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
SERGIO DUARTE FRIAS	26	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
ANA GABRIELA RUBIO ZEA, a/k/a “Gaby”	32	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
KUN JIANG	Unknown	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
YONGHAO WU, a/k/a “Tim”	31	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
YAQIN WU, a/k/a “Lily”	30	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
HUATAO YAO, a/k/a “Yao”	32	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; fentanyl distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to commit money laundering	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison

United States v. Leobardo Garcia Corrales, et al., S2 23 Cr. 136 

Defendant	Age	Charges	Minimum and Maximum Penalties
LEOBARDO GARCIA CORRALES, a/k/a “Leo”	53	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
MARTIN GARCIA CORRALES, a/k/a “Tano,” a/k/a “Cachuchas”	43	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
HUMBERTO BELTRAN CUEN, a/k/a “Don Chino”	69	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison
ANASTACIO SOTO VEGA, a/k/a “Tachin”	45	Fentanyl importation conspiracy; possession of machineguns and destructive devices; conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices	Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.