Óscar Nava Valencia, The 'Wolf' Who Became A "Snitch" When He Arrived In The U.S

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Following his arrest in October 2009, Nava Valencia was extradited to the United States two years later where he collaborated with US authorities.

Oscar Nava Valencia, the former leader of the Milenio Cartel, did everything in his power to be free this Christmas and he did it. El Lobo, as he was known, became a snitch and ratted out criminals, allies and enemies, so that they would be tried in the United States for drug trafficking. For his collaboration, he regained his freedom last November 27, but it cost him dearly. In retaliation, several of his family members were killed and his wife and children had to be relocated to the United States to avoid suffering a similar fate.

El Lobo was apprehended in October 2009 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and extradited to the United States two years later. After the first year, he reached a plea agreement with US prosecutors for conspiracy to traffic drugs in connection with a three-ton cocaine shipment from Colombia.

Thanks to US court records, it is now known that after his arrest Nava Valencia let the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) know that he wanted to join their witness list. An agent spoke with him and they agreed that he would not resist extradition.

In January 2011, Nava arrived in the United States in handcuffs and immediately began singing. He was part of at least five criminal cases. One in New York, in early 2014; an asset seizure of drug traffickers in Washington; and another case in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition, his testimony helped bring down former Public Security Secretary Genaro García Luna and led to the life sentence for Gerardo González Valencia, an operator of Los Cuinis, the armed wing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

He even pointed to other criminals who, like him, could become collaborators of the authorities.

His lawyer, Mervyn Mosbacker, described him as a high-value asset for US investigative agencies: "I think the government is satisfied that he has provided accurate information about his activities and the activities of others, and that's why I think they are using him and intend to use him in the future to build these cases.

According to the lawyer, his collaboration did not go unnoticed among his former colleagues: "his family received threats, and he himself, obviously (...) his immediate family had to flee Mexico because of the threat; the government was kind enough to give him a temporary status in the United States to avoid being killed".

But that was not the case for his entire family. At least 17 of El Lobo's family members were killed on the orders of the drug traffickers he betrayed; revenge for their collaboration.

During a hearing before Judge Ewing Werlein Jr, Nava Valencia apologized to his family. "I want to ask for forgiveness from my daughter, my wife, all my daughters who are here, and my son, and all my family for all the damage and for all that they have gone through because of the cooperation in this situation," he said.

But the judge did not let his criminal activity go unnoticed.

"The devastation of human beings and people and families and children goes on and on. That is why you are punished, for being in this evil crime by dealing in massive drug shipments that have harmed many other people, families, and children," he said.

That day, El Lobo was sentenced to 25 years in prison, although his sentence was reduced to 16 years shortly thereafter. In mid-November of this year he filed a motion to reduce his sentence again. And then his release, scheduled for April 2024, was brought forward to November 2023.

Milenio