Osiel Cardenas Jr sentenced

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat from Brownsville Herald Thank you Sol👏

A federal judge sentenced the son of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel to a little more than two years in prison for impersonating a U.S. Marshal.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez sentenced ., 26, to two years and three months in prison for impersonating a federal officer and being a felon in possession firearm as well as to one year in jail to be served concurrently with the other sentence for violating his supervised release for a 2015 ammunition smuggling conviction.

The Brownsville Police Department arrested Cardenas Jr. on March 14 at the SKY Bar and Lounge after reports of a man waving a handgun around and threatening to arrest bar-goers unless they dispersed while flashing a Cameron County District Attorney’s badge.

Authorities recovered the badge, which belonged to a former Cameron County assistant district attorney who represents Cardenas Jr. in a traffic matter, along with a Bersa .380 caliber handgun.

It’s not clear how Cardenas Jr. obtained the badge.

Note;  https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/son-former-cartel-boss-convicted-attempting-export-ammunition-mexico

During the hearing, Cardenas Jr. told Rodriguez that he was remorseful, ashamed and embarrassed for his actions.

CJ Quintanilla, Cardenas Jr.’s defense attorney, said his client showed no signs during supervised release that he would behave in the manner he did that night, and despite numerous negative drug tests during his supervised release, authorities discovered he was using marijuana, cocaine and alcohol on the night of the offense.

Quintanilla said marital problems possibly triggered Cardenas Jr.’s behavior that night.

“Something triggered this and on that one day, he lost it,” Quintanilla said.

Cardenas Jr.’s father is Osiel Cardenas-Guillen, who created the Gulf Cartel’s former armed wing, Los Zetas, which ushered in an era of increasing drug cartel violence in Mexico. Cardenas-Guillen is serving a 25-year sentence on federal drug charges.

Chivis note: 

During a previous 2015 hearing on the ammunition charge, Jr.’s mother Celia Cardenas,  sent a message to the judge.  Beginning with apologies for the bad things her son had committed.  She went on saying it was out of immaturity and lack of experience that drove him to commit such acts. 

She said she could not control her son and asked that the judge follow his conscious when giving her son his sentence.  She asked that he pay for his mistakes, so that he may never repeat them.  Saying she knew the sentence would be the correct one for her sons life.  She signed the note “May God Bless Your Life, and your work” 

Background

“On Dec. 31, 2014, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were conducting south-bound inspection operations at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Port of Entry in Brownsville. Cardenas Jr. approached the inspection area driving a 2015 Cadillac Escalade and attempted to exit the U.S. and enter Matamoros, Mexico. He advised officers that he had no money, weapons or ammunition to declare. However, a subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 489 rounds of 9mm, .223mm and 7.62mm ammunition as well as two .223 rifle magazines.”

He was sentenced to 10 months although he faced up to 10 years.  He was released under “supervision”. He promptly violated his release.

Cardenas Jr., an American citizen, was ordered not to visit Mexico.

“You’re at a crossroads … you need to decide the path you’re going” said Judge Hanen to Cardenas Jr., aka “Mini Osiel”. “If you follow the same path as your father, you will end up in the same place.”