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Wednesday, November 30, 2022

US BOP Confirms "La Barbie's" Custody Transfer, His Former Lawyer Suspects His Cooperation

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Mexican-American drug trafficker Edgar Valdez Villareal, alias “La Barbie,” is “not currently in federal custody” in the United States, the Federal Bureau of Prisons told CNN.

Valdez Villarreal’s name appears as “Not in BOP custody” on the agency’s website, as first reported by Borderland Beat. When asked why bureau spokesperson Benjamin O’Cone declined to give more details and explained there are “several reasons” why this can happen.

“Inmates who were previously in BOP custody and who have not completed their sentence may be outside BOP custody for a period of time for court hearings, medical treatment, or for other reasons,” O’Cone said in an email to CNN on Tuesday. He added that they do not provide specific information on the status of inmates who are not in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for “safety, security, or privacy reasons.”

The United States government confirmed that Édgar Valdez Villarreal, "La Barbie", was transferred from the federal USP Coleman II prison in Florida and one of his former lawyers warns that he was probably sent to New York to assist prosecutors in the preparation of the case against Genaro Garcia Luna.

The absence of Valdez Villarreal from the list of inmates in federal prisons administered by the BOP is the only confirmed fact, but that was enough to trigger intense speculation –and misinformation – in the media, government, and networks on the whereabouts of the former operator of the Beltran Leyva & Sinaloa cartel. The Department of Justice and the BOP do not comment on individual cases or the location of inmates not currently in their custody "for security or privacy reasons." 


La Barbie's high-profile, former lawyer, Kent Schaffer believes he might be cooperating against Luna.

Former Lawyer Suspects "La Barbie" Will Testify

Kent Schaffer, a former lawyer for Valdez Villarreal, indicated in an interview with La Jornada that it would be inaccurate to say that his former client has been released completely. 

"Often what happens, hypothetically, is that if he's going to testify against someone, the (federal) Marshals will transfer him to a detention center, say Rikers Island or the MCC (prisons in New York)." He stressed that he doesn't know if this is exactly what has happened, but it is what he suspects.

He suggested that his former client may be offering to cooperate as a witness in the January trial of the former Secretary of Public Safety Genaro Garcia Luna in New York, although prosecutors have yet to release the names on his witness list. His lawyers have requested this list, and today, the judge made December 9th the deadline to release names. Although certain at-risk witnesses can be released just days prior to their appearing to testify in court.

US Authorities Questioned "La Barbie" Prior Regarding Garcia Luna

"When I represented him 10 years ago, (the US authorities) were already asking about García Luna at that time," Schaffer said. “We had several government inquisitions about García Luna. That is why it could make sense that if the trial is in New York, they would transfer him to that city so that the prosecutors have time to talk," Schaffer said in a telephone interview from the offices of his law firm in Houston.

Schaffer declined to discuss any information Valdez Villarreal might have about Garcia Luna but shared that he had been sufficiently concerned by what his former client knew to request US government assistance to protect him while he was incarcerated in Mexico. "Remember, at that time García Luna was part of the government." Even before his extradition to the United States, Valdez Villarreal accused García Luna of having received bribes from his cartel since 2002.

It is common practice for US authorities involved in the fight against organized crime to use capos and other drug traffickers captured and extradited to the United States as "cooperating" and/or protected witnesses in the persecution of other leaders, as was the case with "El Chapo" Guzman.

Negotiations with these witnesses can take various forms, but generally revolve around offers of reduced charges or jail sentences in exchange for information, statements, and/or testifying against other drug traffickers before the criminal justice system in the United States.

For this reason, and as his former lawyer Schaffer commented, there are reasons and precedents to suppose – among other possibilities – that Valdez Villarreal could have been transferred from BOP custody to other authorities, such as the United States Marshals Service.

Kent Schaffer was described as, "the best lawyer", who was contacted by the family of "La Barbie" based in the US at the request of the cartel leader. In a rare moment, Kent Schaffer had, at the request of his client, asked the US government to pursue deportation from Mexico and face justice in the United States.

Other past notable clients of Schaffer have included former Houston mayors, fraudsters, and actors, and since La Barbie, Schaffer was hired by Humberto Moreira, who is accused of money laundering and accused by a witness in the US of laundering money for the Los Zetas cartel. He was also representing various members of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle club based in Texas, for over 30 years, including after the Waco shootout against rival Cossacks MC. 

La Barbie's former defense attorney had also represented several Bandidos members, two became government witnesses, presenting a conflict of interest when he looked to defend the outlaw motorcycle gang's leaders.

In 2017, Judge Henry Bemporad agreed with prosecutors who argued that lead defense attorney Kent Schaffer of Houston might have a conflict of interest while representing Bandidos president Jeffrey Fay Pike, of Conroe. Schaffer represented two then-Bandidos members, who are now government witnesses, and who allege that Pike and Bandidos vice president John Xavier Portillo ordered Bandidos to turn over their court documents when they got arrested so Schaffer could review the papers and see who might be cooperating against the organization. The order comes after a pair of hearings in San Antonio during which Schaffer denied the allegations. Schaffer was removed from the defense team.

Former Bandidos Northeast San Antonio chapter President Raul “K-Oz” Puente testified against Bandidos' National President. He was given 5 years probation in exchange for his cooperation.

One of the former Bandidos members who flipped was Raul “K-Oz” Puente. Testimony surfaced that Puente cooperated and agreed to wear a wire and record phone calls with other Bandidos, following his 2015 drug indictment. That helped the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety identify the Bandidos’ drug trafficking, and to solve other crimes that were also rolled into a racketeering indictment against the organization’s national leadership.

Puente’s cooperation helped the government flip other high-ranking members of the Bandidos and to convict its top two leaders, former national president Jeffrey Fay Pike of Conroe and then-national vice president John Xavier Portillo of San Antonio. The pair were sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in a three-month trial in 2018 of leading the Bandidos’ racketeering conspiracy that included drug trafficking, assaults on rivals, and murder.

Judge Ezra departed from the recommended sentencing guideline range of 168 months to 210 months in prison, without parole, and instead sentenced Puente to five years of probation. Puente had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamines.

34 comments:

  1. Organized crime is a dirty game. Play at your own risk.

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  2. what's going on in Jerez ,Zacatecas major shootouts in jerez.

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  3. Do the bandidos get to wear their costumes in prison?

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    1. Not really Mijo, but they get to eat TV dinners, watch novella's.

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    2. No dumbass they have placas being labeled a snitch is not good while you're locked up but they're still violent individuals so fucking with them might not your to do list

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  4. The difference between a American narcotrafficker and a Mexican drug lord one rather die fighting { Arturo Beltran) the other one decided to become A protective witness

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    1. 6:18 i didnt know all of cds members were americans 🤣

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    2. There's a long list from your favorite cartel (CDSNITCHES)
      that would rather point the finger and get protection than fight 😂

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    3. @CATALINA TERROR. Sorry, but Arturo Beltran didn't decide to die fighting. That Scarface bullshit is so silly. It was a targeted assassination. He died with his hands up. He kidnapped Garcia Luna (according to 4 Federales sworn testimony), killed the man he mentored, and was targeted for assassination. He was never going to leave that building alive, and he knew it. No honour, no glory, no romance.

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  5. Pinchi borderlandbeat gringillos

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    1. 6:40 I don't think Sol is Gringo, not HEARST. Try again.

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  6. So what about Luna what about CIA current and past drug dealing involvements, Felix Rodriguez etc. Barbie got a get out of jail card, he was already telling on his associates to the DEA prior to his arrest. Mexico if smart which their not, should file arrest warrant for Barbie horrible crimes in Mexico. They can get him because USA will someday want a high profile caputured cartel leader.

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    1. Yep Mexico is not smart, Mexico going down the tubes, thanks 👍 to the current government.

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    2. LOL. If you guys were smart you would know that there is still pending litigation for La Barbie in Mexico. 🙄🤦🏻‍♂️. You kids go back to sleep please.

      The real question is, if La Barbie is placed under witsec and Mexico request for his extradition, will the U.S cooperate and hand him over to face trial in México or will the U.S refuse to hand him over? Situations like this could further jeopardize U.S/ Mexico relations if let's say, Mencho, Mayo, Chapos or any other high profile fugitives are captured and the U.S request for their extradition. Would the current government be as willing to cooperate with the U.S if they refuse to hand over La Barbie.?.. I have a feeling this trial is going to be not only better but also more frustrating than Chapos. Everything said about Chapo we already knew, in the case of Garcia Luna, his ties to DTO's were kept under wraps. For all we know, GGL could start exposing former presidents along with U.S officials. I'm gonna bust out the popcorn for this one for sure.

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    3. 9:42 He created illegal crimes through out the years, against USA. He has to serve his time, during that time, US will not give back to Mexico.
      Also Mencho is dead.

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    4. 9:42 I could this potentially being a give us RCQ and you get La Barbie thing, AMLO alluded to that very vaguely in his press conference yesterday. The question at that point is how far does the DOJ stand behind their witnesses? It can all be political.

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    5. 1037, Absolutely. So many variable and possibilities. I'm telling you, bust out the popcorn for this one. By the way, thanks for your contributions!

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    6. 9:42 Great comment

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    7. Do you really think the US gives a shit about what MX wants? The US gov plays puppets with politicians, narcos, and the wealthy Mexicans… period. La Barbie has great info on gov officials, same as Chapo, same as Vicentillo, etc.

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    8. 7:06 If you were smart, which you're not, you would know that there's a couple of warrants out for his arrest already in Mexico.

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    9. Mexican warrants = “I wipe my ass with them” sincerely, US of A.

      He’s a US Citizen dumbasses, it’s more difficult to make that happen.

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    10. 5:27 Yes, they do give a shit since they folded to Mexican demands and released general Cienpedos.

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    11. 12:28 the Trumpanzee regime and Bill Barr are gone...
      However, the real true puppeteers remain, behind José Biden.

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  7. When sh!t got hot in Mexico this guy was running around and hiding, evading the narco war and turned himself in.

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    1. Por ahi me llego un chisme que fue Jeenny Rivera la que lo puso en la cruz

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    2. Yeah 7:37 I heard the same. Read up on it actually. That fool started giving info up from jump. They recorded him for like two hours of him just talking about shyt. They didn't even really have to ask him, he just was spilling everything. They tried too turn of the camera on him like three times but he wouldn't let them, he told them he wasn't done, that why were they trying to turn the camera off on him😝. You could even hear the cop that was recording him snoring somewhere in the tape🤪and it would of been more than 2 hours if the tape hadn't ran out cause that fool kept talking till early in the morning 😜j/k on the statements with faces. It wouldn't surprise me if he did do all that though.

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  8. He is blond and everyone in Mexico has a nickname . But why not El Ken instead of La Barbie?

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    Replies
    1. Por que en mexico los apodos tienen que ser hirientes.

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    2. 12:49 nicknames have to be funny other wise what's the point

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    3. 12:49 BECAUSE El Barbas and La Barbie were Husband and Wife

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  9. Cooperating for ahit that happened a decade ago. Waste of money toss him into mexico with kick in the ass and let the mexicans deal with him

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  10. His lawyer is trash for talking about his former client.

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  11. This is the Mexican Henry hill going into witness protection .

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