"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat
A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed in San Diego today against alleged Mexican cartel leader Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela in connection with his drug trafficking activities. Valenzuela Valenzuela was also the target of sanctions imposed today by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The indictment, returned on September 28, 2018, charges Valenzuela Valenzuela with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Intended for Importation, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. On September 28, 2018, the Clerk of the Court issued a sealed warrant for his arrest. Valenzuela Valenzuela remains a fugitive.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela as a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Please see https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0367.
Based in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, Valenzuela Valenzuela is alleged to be a Sinaloa Cartel plaza boss who traffics fentanyl and other drugs and operates at the direction of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael Zambada Garcia (a.k.a. “El Mayo”). Valenzuela Valenzuela allegedly leads a poly-drug smuggling organization responsible for the transportation and importation of multi-ton quantities of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, from Mexico into the United States.
In addition to Valenzuela Valenzuela, OFAC also designated seven other Mexican nationals for providing material assistance to Valenzuela Valenzuela. Specifically, the individuals include Valenzuela Valenzuela’s right-hand man, Leonardo Pineda Armenta, who is responsible for directing operations for him, and six cartel lieutenants who ultimately report to Valenzuela Valenzuela: Gilberto Martinez Renteria, Jaime Humberto Gonzalez Higuera, Jorge Damian Roman Figueroa, Luis Alberto Carrillo Jimenez, Meliton Rochin Hurtado, and Miguel Raymundo Marrufo Cabrera. Additionally, OFAC designated two companies in Mexico for being owned or controlled by Rochin Hurtado and Marrufo Cabrera. Specifically, they are Acuaindustria Narciso Mendoza, S.C. de R.L. de C.V. and Club Indios Rojos de Juarez, S.A. de C.V.
“This indictment and the Treasury Department sanctions announced today demonstrate that the Department of Justice, along with its law enforcement partners, will continue to target Sinaloa Cartel kingpins who import massive amounts of illegal drugs into the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. Grossman praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton, the DEA case agents and all law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Grossman also thanked Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, and the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for their ongoing assistance in this investigation.
“The DEA will continue to put forth extensive resources to target members of the Sinaloa Cartel, such as Sergio Valenzuela-Valenzuela, who allegedly flood our country with their poisonous drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “This indictment, along with the recent OFAC designation of Valenzuela-Valenzuela and his Sinaloa Cartel associates, is testament that DEA’s targeted financial operations against this cartel are working and will negatively impact their operations.”
This prosecution is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 18CR04222-DMS
Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela, aka Gigio Age: 52 Sinaloa, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963; Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and five years supervised release.
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and five years supervised release.
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and five years supervised release.
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations
Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol
United States Marshals Service
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control
Oceanside Police Department
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
National City Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center
Interpol
*An indictment or complaint is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
He will be in the pokey for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it. He'll definitely spend his last days of life locked up, but he's smart. He knows he's wanted in the US, so he's going to hide until he is older and exhausted from hiding, it will be an uneventful arrest of an old man who will spend maybe 20 years locked up before old age takes him out.
DeleteArrest is not the essence of the matter, what matters is the bottom line, government agencies filling their elements pockets with loot from the US Treasury, in this case not one oz of shit was recovered from the suspect, and I mean real shit from his undies...
DeleteAt least the Unpresidented Disgrace was caught wearing his soiled whites on the golf club.
Caborca Cartel making moves to take back Sonora
ReplyDeleteA huevo Caro regreso y allí está el mensaje en Sonora se respeta la vida de las mujeres y niños
DeleteCaro's group been picking up many innocent women too rape them then have them burried out in the middle of the desert
DeletePinchis gilbertonas, aliniensen mas bien con el caro y su propaganda. RCQ NEWS.
DeleteCaborca ya no tiene plazas
ReplyDeleteCaborca le partio la madre a los cazadores with the govt help my boy. Sorry to break it to you. So many of these cartel fans are really burnt out and cant see it for what it really is. Your precious cds lost alot of grounr in Sonora.
DeleteMy question is.. what happened to the 300 Locos that Cazador and Durango bragged about? Lol that would give their lives for el Cazador and the bosses?? Lol
8:53 pm no pudierno los yiyos y los caborca ni con la ayuda de los militares
DeleteHe will see a jail cell
ReplyDelete10:23 yes, on a postcard...
DeleteSaquese a la verga pinchi payaso.
Yes he will God.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you guys kiss those guys rear end? Ignorant por.eso.esta.la.raza.como.esta.? Ignorants.big trucks listening to crappy music.corridos.if you can't be good Americans .haya.quedense.
ReplyDelete10:06 You sound like a guy whose girlfriend left him for a dude with a big truck.
DeleteBut I see you point. Saludos
Saludos.
DeleteOnce you're Indicted they will find and prosecute you nobody can escape the WRATH of DOJ.
DeleteThe man will face his arrest one day, and for the cheerleaders that say no, he won't be in jail, think again, it's a matter of time. I am sure in will have to hide in caves, like Mencho does.
ReplyDeleteHey BB, is this Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela guy alias "Gigio" different from the Sosa Canizales "Gigio"?? It seems weird to me that both of these figures seem to have many of the same descriptions (based in Nogales, reports to El Mayo, etc.) but the DOJ and Treasury designations put out this month have a totally different name, picture. Also of note, the Treasury organigram of the Valenzuela Valenzuela network has individuals like El 20, El Soldado, and EL 63 (associated with Los Gigio in prior BB reporting and other news outlets)
ReplyDeleteCould it be that the "Gigio" in Nogales/northern Sonora in recent years has actually been Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela, and not Sosa Canizales?? Curious to get your thoughts!
I had the exact same question as you and I am writing a whole post on it. Might not come out until tomorrow though.
DeleteLooking forward to it!! Keep up the great work
DeleteIt's going to boil down to how loyal his people are El cazador has a army and many of the marines in Mexican police are his as well
ReplyDelete