"Morogris" for Borderland Beat
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| Vicente Carrillo-Fuentes, alias El Viceroy |
A Mexican federal judge dismissed a double jeopardy complaint from the defense team of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, also known as El Viceroy, the former leader of the old Juarez Cartel.
The defense argued that El Viceroy, who had faced charges of organized crime involvement, had been granted release by an appeals court, and imprisoning him for the same charges in another court would constitute double jeopardy.
However, the prosecution countered that double jeopardy did not apply since El Viceroy was only charged, not convicted, of organized crime involvement. The court sided with the prosecution, rejecting El Viceroy's complaint.
Background
El Viceroy is the brother of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, also known as El Señor de los Cielos (Lord of the Skies), the legendary leader of the old Juarez Cartel. After Amado's death in 1997, El Viceroy inherited the leadership of the Juarez Cartel. Juan Pablo Ledezma, alias El JL, served as his right-hand man.
Viceroy funded El JL to establish Los Linces and Los Condors, two specialized armed wings created to combat the Sinaloa Cartel. La Linea, a criminal group, emerged from the collaboration of these two organizations, as outlined in a "Notable Figures" report from Borderland Beat.
For many years, El Viceroy led the Juarez Cartel and directed an extensive international drug trafficking network based at the El Paso–Juárez international border, one of the world's busiest. In 2009, the US Department of Justice reported that around 70% of the annual cocaine entering the US transited through the El Paso–Juárez corridor.
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| Image credit (HEARST from Borderland Beat) |
In October 2014, Mexican federal police officers arrested El Viceroy in Torreón, Coahuila. Mexican authorities claim that the federal agents tracking El Viceroy monitored his activities for at least six months, followed the vehicle he used, and observed the residences he discreetly visited. When confronted by his captors, the Juarez Cartel leader initially provided a different name but eventually admitted to his true identity.
El Viceroy has been wanted by the US government since August 2000, when the US District Court for the Western District of Texas in El Paso indicted him. In the 46-count indictment, El Viceroy was charged with marijuana and cocaine trafficking, money laundering, tampering a witness, ordering a killing to suppress information to US investigators, and for leading a continuous criminal enterprise. The last charge alone carries a minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life imprisonment.
In September 2021, El Viceroy was sentenced to 28 years for organized crime involvement. He received an additional 20 years in October 2022. The US government issued a formal extradition request in the summer of 2015, but El Viceroy's defense team has successfully been able to halt the process.
Sources: Diario de Juarez; Borderland Beat archives
Hope they extradite him.
ReplyDeleteThis dude has been around a long time and was considered the most violent out of all of his brothers. A prolific killer, he should be extradited.
ReplyDeleteThe dude was also stupid and inept. Billion dollar operation to nothing.
ReplyDeleteHe was no Amado, that's for sure. He did manage to keep his turf for awhile after his brother's death by the use of incredible amounts of violence. But left with nothing? I highly doubt the dude has nothing, lol.
DeleteSi era violento el vato pero el viceroy no era pendejo ahi se equivocan ustedes
DeleteHundreds of thousands of small time dope dealers locked up in prisons in the US only wish they have the money El Viceroy still has. Hell even some mid and big size US locked up Capos wish that for themselves.
DeleteIdk man it’s probably him keeping a low profile but he he did look like homeless man in his arrest
Delete2:00 pm
Delete....for while....
17 years he kept teritorio after "death" of Amado....and you said like that is nothig.....17 years as head of Juarez...cmon lad you should have little bit more respect for this guys abilities....
He was most disgusting capo i ever saw in me.life...and thee sandals he had on him while arrested....wtf...
DeleteWhy do say disgusting?
DeleteI don’t understand why people want him extradited to the US so we have to pay for a 5 million dollar trial. Then we have to house him in a Super Max that probably costs us $250,000 a year to house 1 inmate. Leave him in jail there. What do you think, is him being a trophy worth the price? I don’t. We house 25% of the entire worlds inmate population but the US is only 5% of the worlds population. Seriously, do y’all understand how much that costs us? And do you realize that the private prison industry is making a killing. Plus, if drug convictions weren’t feeding them enough inmates, now they lock up illegals for years before they go to court.
ReplyDeleteWould you rather let him stay in Mexico and perhaps escape prison like Chapo did three times?
DeleteHe hasn’t escaped yet. And he is older than dirt and out of touch. We don’t need to spend millions and millions to commit double jeopardy convictions in case they escape Mexican prisons. What are y’all so afraid of?
DeleteIf guaranteed prison time in Mexico El Viceroy will escape.
DeleteNot just that but American government thinks they offer the worst prison sentences ever.
They think their justice system is a role model for the free world hence the urgency to bring big Mexican Capos to jail in the country.
In other words Americans are full of themselves.
11:39 And now we have 4 chapos instead of one.... Worthless to send them out...
DeleteAmado had these major traffickers/operators as his underboss and lieutenants: JJEM, BL, ICV, MIZG.
ReplyDeleteThere were other powerful individuals who I don't remember right now who were also working with ACF who were less well known.
When ACF died practically all of them went "independent" and started working on their own. That $25 billion dollar fortune the government claimed he had was propaganda.
The Muñoz Talavera brothers, who were working in that region since the 80's and were high ranking members of CDJ, challenged VCF for the leadership of the cartel but VCF and his brothers killed them and retained control of the organization.
Who is jjem and bl?
DeleteJuan Jose Esparragoza Moreno y Beltrán Leyva
DeleteI thought he died
ReplyDeleteRight, Munoz Talevarez brothers were Amado’s right hand Vicente was viewed not smart enough to run the cartel and Amado’s son was to young.
DeleteIn the early times of Amado’s reign, the Taliverez brothers moved 11 tons of cocaine in 50 kilo loads from Juarez to El Paso, then to LA in a one year period.Not one single load got busted.
They deserved the Cartel and most wanted them to have it. But they old heavy money politicians decided late to have the brothers killed and let Vicente have it. It went down. That was the beginning of the end of the original Juarez Cartel.
Before Amado there was another family that lived in El Paso that handled the trade. An attorney named Lee Chargua. And his brother Jimmy. Dirty Dealing is a great book about them. It tells the history of Jimmy Chagra hiring Woody Harrelsons dad Charles to kill a Federal Judge “Hanging John” is San Antonio. Great history about Juarez, El Paso and about Amarillo Slim and Doyle Brunson and Sailor Roberts in the death of the head guy Lee Chagra.
What ever happened to El JL from juarez?
ReplyDeleteApparently killed according to a forum poster that was from Chihuahua
DeleteDied in 2010 +/- in Carretera a Casas Grandes, out of Juarez against Policia Federal
Delete