Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe Alias, "Musico" "Manny" "Salgado" "23" Indicted in Chicago on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm Charges

Press Release

Alleged Leader of Sinaloa Cartel Faction Indicted in Chicago on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm Charges

Friday, September 5, 2025

A federal grand jury has indicted an alleged leader of a violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on terrorism, drug, and firearm charges, including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.

According to the superseding indictment returned yesterday in the Northern District of Illinois, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, 50, of Sinaloa, Mexico, also known as El Musico, directed the importation of large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs — at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms — into the United States on behalf of the Beltran Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“As alleged, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe led a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that flooded the United States with fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin and used murder and intimidation to protect its profits,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Sinaloa Cartel has been designated a foreign terrorist organization because of the kinds of crimes announced today. This indictment further demonstrates that the Criminal Division will use every tool at its disposal to target cartel leaders, including by holding them accountable for acts of terrorism against our country.”

“Today’s narcoterrorism indictment of El Musico sends a powerful message that this Administration is going to aggressively pursue transnational criminal organizations and hold their highest-ranking members and associates accountable for poisoning the American public with illegal and harmful drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office has a proud history going back many decades of prosecuting some of the nation’s biggest and most significant narcotrafficking cartel cases. Building on that tradition, under my leadership, our office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of violent drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have very deservedly been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Working closely with other prosecutors and law enforcement partners across the United States, our goal remains unchanged: to disrupt and dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug empire and bring its leaders to justice.”

“From narcocorridos to narcoterrorist. El Musico famously writes his own lyrics, but his next one will be written from the Bureau of Prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “As El Musico once boasted, ‘La vida es curiosa, hoy soy poderoso,’ but soon his ‘Rancho Querido’ will be nothing but a distant memory.”

“This indictment sends a clear and uncompromising message: cartel leaders who flood our streets with fentanyl and arm their networks with machine guns and grenades are not just drug traffickers — they are terrorists,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe and his faction turned cartel violence into a campaign of terror, targeting police, military, and civilians alike. DEA remains relentless in our pursuit of these narco-terrorists, and we will not stop until the Sinaloa Cartel — and every organization like it — is dismantled, its leaders brought to justice, and American families protected.”

“The indictment of El Musico and the dismantlement of the leadership structure of these foreign terrorist organizations are direct results of the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and our law enforcement partners to protect the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations San Diego. “We remain resolute in our mission to bring all members of these criminal cartels to justice, regardless of where they attempt to evade accountability.”

“As a leader of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, Gastelum Iribe allegedly directed the importation of cocaine, heroine, fentanyl, and other lethal drugs into the United States and oversaw atrocious acts of violence, including kidnappings and murders, in Mexico,” said Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The superseding indictment against him is the result of years of collaboration among multiple federal agencies and judicial districts. The FBI and our partners will continue to work toward dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel and bringing its violent leaders — including El Musico — to justice.”

After the arrest or death of the faction’s original leaders, Gastelum Iribe assumed a leadership role and conspired with associates to distribute drugs nationwide. including in the Chicago area, using cars, trucks, rail cars, and other interstate carriers. To protect the cartel’s operations, Gastelum Iribe allegedly ordered and carried out violent attacks against rivals, military personnel, and law enforcement, including ordering the murder of a Mexican police officer and two others. Under Gastelum Iribe’s leadership, the faction armed its members with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, explosives, and other weapons, while also engaging in kidnappings, assaults, and bribery of corrupt public officials.

Gastelum Iribe is charged with terrorism, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. The terrorism charges, which accuse Gastelum Iribe of engaging in narcoterrorism and providing material support and resources to the Sinaloa Cartel, is a result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 designating the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the State Department’s subsequent designation of the same in February of this year.

If convicted, Gastelum Iribe faces a mandatory penalty of life in prison. He is not in custody and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The indictment is the result of a collaboration between prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, the Northern District of Illinois, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and DEA.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated September 5, 2025

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The relatives of "El Tito" are buried with drum music In Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Guasave and Los Mochis criminal figures will face pressure from military in the upcoming months.

 CHAR

JULY 29, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED FROM LUZ NOTICIAS 

They were kidnapped in Los Mochis and found dead days later in El Carrizo. Four were close relatives of El Tito, executed a week earlier in the Goros II prison.

Ernesto Torres 07/28/2025

To the music of the band, with deep pain, helplessness, and many questions, the funeral and burial took place for the five men found executed last weekend on the side of Mexico City International Highway 15, in the Carrizo Valley, Ahome.

The victims are four members of the same family and a close friend; they were deprived of their liberty on the night of Wednesday, July 16, by an armed group that broke into a home located in the Scally neighborhood of Los Mochis. Since that night, no further word has been heard from them.

On the morning of Saturday, the 26th, their bodies were found abandoned with signs of torture and strangulation. One of them still had the tourniquet tied around his neck; another, the father of two of the young men, was found dismembered in a bag and a plastic box.

That same Saturday night, the State Attorney General's Office released the body of Jassiel Eduardo, a 26-year-old car dealer and resident of Infonavit Mochicahui.

According to reports, Jassiel had gone to the airport to pick up his friend, one of the Vázquez brothers, a friend of his who had returned from abroad and arrived at the airport; together, they went to the Scally home, where they would later be kidnapped by an armed group. 

He was considered a cheerful, easygoing, and very friendly person. His acquaintances assure that he was very well-liked in his inner circle. Jassiel was buried yesterday afternoon in the Jardines de la Memoria cemetery, accompanied by his closest family members, close friends, and band music.

The funeral procession was surrounded by family and friends who knew him in life, and their faces reflected the sadness of his final resting place.

Farewell to "El Tito's" Family

Hours earlier, at the Santa María Funeral Home in El Carrizo, the legal autopsy was performed on the bodies of "El Tito's" four relatives, and at the stroke of midnight, the Prosecutor's Office released them.

The bodies of Rosario Vázquez Salazar (52 years old), her children, Rosario Vázquez Sánchez (27) and Omar Eduardo Vázquez Sánchez (22), and her nephew Luis Fernando Carrillo Vázquez (26), were taken to the Misión Funeral Home in the city of Los Mochis.

There, the four coffins were placed together in a single chapel, where their loved ones awaited them in deep sorrow, as well as close friends who came to bid their final farewells.

The four were considered quiet, friendly young men, with active social lives, and well-liked by those who knew them. During the funeral, many people were absent, perhaps due to fear of possible retaliation or an unsafe environment, although the turnout was notable among family members and close friends.

This Monday, July 28, the four members of the Vázquez family were buried in the Jardín Funeral Misión cemetery, located on the airport road.

Just eight days earlier, the man known as "El Tito" was buried in that same cemetery. He was a close relative of the victims, murdered in an alleged fight inside the Goros II federal prison.

No Progress in the Case

So far, authorities have provided no progress on the case or the circumstances surrounding the alleged fight that led to the death of Javier Alonso Vázquez Sánchez, alias "El Tito." He has been detained by the Navy since December 2024 after the seizure of 1,500 kilos of fentanyl pills, one of the largest seizures in the country's recent history.

During the funeral, the bands that accompanied each procession played songs favored by young people.

The corridos, well-known among them, provoked tears, memories, and hugs, mourning the loss of young lives that will undoubtedly leave a lasting mark on their families and loved ones.

Speculation about the multiple kidnappings and murders of the family is causing commentary, especially on social media. Although the families have already buried the victims, they remain hopeful that justice will be served, or at least that they will be informed of some progress in the investigation.

SOURCE: LUZ NOTICIAS 

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Those murdered in Ahome turn out to be the family deprived of liberty in Los Mochis.They correspond to relatives of "El Tito", the inmate murdered in the Goros II prison.

 CHAR 

JULY 26, 2025

INFORMATION BY LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

WRITTEN BY: FIDEL HERNANDEZ

Ahome, Sinaloa.- Unofficially, it has been revealed that the five bodies found on the side of Federal Highway Mexico 15 near the Chávez Talamantes community belong to relatives of Javier Alonso "V" "El Tito," who was recently murdered inside the Goros II prison in Ahome.

Sources from the Prosecutor's Office reported unofficially that the bodies were identified as Rosario "V," 52; his children Rosario "V," 27; and Omar Eduardo "V," 22; as well as his nephew Luis Fernando "C," 22; all of whom are relatives of "El Tito." The fifth body belongs to Jasiel Eduardo "G," 30.

Four bodies were lying on the side of Federal Highway, while the fifth body was found completely dismembered inside an orange bag.

The deceased had been sought by their families since July 16th of this year. Since then, they have not heard from their loved ones. Unfortunately, they were found lifeless on the morning of Saturday, July 26th of this year, in the aforementioned ejido (common land).

When the bodies were found, authorities reported that the victims showed signs of violence.

After the incident was reported, authorities from all three levels of government responded to the scene. Upon arrival, they confirmed the discovery of the five bodies.

Forensics from the Northern Zone Forensic Investigation Directorate of the State Attorney General's Office (FGE) were in charge of conducting the legal investigations. The bodies were recovered and taken to a funeral home in the municipality of Ahome, Valle del Carrizo.

SOURCE: LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

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The elite military special forces "Bats" group deploys a major operation in Guasave and Los Mochis: Sinaloa.

 CHAR 

JULY 26, 2025

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY LUZ NOTICIAS 

In total, at least 14 Army units and 11 more from the federal Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection were counted.

Osmar Zavala

07/26/2025

A major operation by federal forces took place this Saturday afternoon in the municipalities of Guasave and Ahome, with the deployment of at least 14 pickup trucks from the Mexican Army's Special Forces Corps, known as "Murciélagos," in addition to 11 additional units from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), bearing the agency's characteristic black and white colors.

The convoy began its journey in Guasave, where the military personnel patrolled various parts of the city. They later moved to the municipality of Ahome and were seen in northern Los Mochis, in what is believed to be a coordinated surveillance and violence deterrent action.

To date, no clashes, arrests, or seizures have been reported as a result of this deployment. However, the presence of these elite units has raised concerns among the public due to their level of specialization and the number of units deployed.

This operation adds to a series of military actions that have been intensifying in Guasave for several weeks. The presence of the Army, the Mexican Navy, and the Interinstitutional Group has been constant in communities and neighborhoods of the municipality.

On Friday, Army paratroopers patrolled the districts of Nío, Estación Bamoa, and Unfonseca, while in Las Playitas they entered several homes, seizing a handgun and two loaded magazines.

That same night, a convoy of armored vehicles and an Ocelot-type unit patrolled areas such as San Francisco, 24 de Febrero, and surrounding areas. Their presence was also reported in communities near El Burrión.

On Saturday morning, at least three Navy units conducted patrols in various parts of the city, including the vicinity of the Municipal Cemetery, in an apparent surveillance and prevention strategy.

Although authorities have not issued official reports on the results, these operations are expected to continue as part of the increased security in the region.

SOURCE: LUZ NOTICIAS 

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Adrián “El Gallero”, Elier Jasiel and Javier Alonso, the three deceased in the Goros II prison, Ahome, Sinaloa. El Gallero cooked Fentanyl for Pedro Inzunza Noriega Coronel "El Pichon" Son Of El Sagitario

 CHAR 

JULY 20, 2025 

They were being held in Module 5; one of them, "El Gallero," was arrested for possession and transportation of fentanyl in El Carrizo.

By: Liz Douret

July 17, 2025

Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Information has gradually emerged regarding the identities of the three inmates murdered with a knife inside the Goros II Penitentiary Center in Ahome. They were being held in Module 5.

Due to the families' desperation to know the names of the victims, the on-site investigation revealed that they were Adrián "N," alias "El Gallero," Elier Jasiel "N," and Javier Alonso "N."

Unofficially, it was reported that "El Gallero" had been detained since December 5 after being apprehended by the National Guard on Mexico Highway 15 near the El Carrizo municipality. During this arrest, a vehicle and a kilogram of fentanyl were seized.

The Attorney General's Office (FGR) was conducting an investigation against him for his alleged involvement in the historic seizure of fentanyl in Los Mochis, where 1,100 kilograms of fentanyl were seized.

In addition, it was reported that the three victims suffered multiple stab wounds.

It was also revealed that the injured man was identified as Aarón "N."

At the Goros II Penitentiary, personnel from the Northern Zone Regional Deputy Prosecutor's Office continue to gather information to determine how the events occurred and identify those responsible.

EL GALLERO FENTANYL COOK FOR EL PICHON

BY: CHAR 

El Gallero, people of Pedro Inzunza Coronel "El Pichón," lieutenant of his father, Pedro Inzunza Noriega "El Sagitario". El Gallero was highly likely to be killed by his own former employees. El Gallero was captured by the Mexican Navy in December of 2024, with the largest seizure of fentanyl in Mexico. This fentanyl seized belonged to Pedro Inzunza Coronel, "El Pichon". As said earlier, El Pichon is the son of Pedro Inzunza Noriega, "El Sagatario", high high-ranking member of the Beltran Leyva Organization. El Sagitario is a close collaborator of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, "Chapo Isidro," and Oscar Manuel Iribe Gastelum, "El Musico," "El 23." 

SOURCE: LINEA DIRECTA PORTAL 

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The United States Will Bring New Charges Against "El Chapito," "El Mayito Flaco," "El Pelo Chino," "El Chapo Isidro," and "El Músico."

 CHAR 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY ZETA TIJUANA 

WRITTEN BY: CARLOS ALVAREZ ACEVEDO 

MAY 13, 2025

On May 13, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that federal drug trafficking charges were pending against all alleged leaders of the Beltrán Leyva faction—Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias "Chapo Isidro," Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, alias "El Músico," and Pedro Inzunza Noriega, alias "Sagitario"—as well as several leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, alias "El Chapito"; Ismael Zambada Sicairos, alias "Mayito Flaco"; and José Gil Caro Quintero, alias "El Pelo Chino."

1. Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias “Chapo Isidro,” case numbers 19-CR-1272 in the Southern District of California and 12-116BAH in the District of Columbia. He is the alleged leader of “Los Mazatlecos.”

2. Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, aka "El Músico," case number 19-CR-3736, in the Southern District of California; 09-CR-00672, in the Northern District of Illinois; and 15-CR-00195, in the District of Columbia. Co-leader of the Beltrán Leyva gang.

3. Pedro Inzunza Noriega, aka "Sagitario," case number 25cr1505, in the Southern District of California. Co-leader of the Beltrán Leyva gang.

4. Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, alias “El Chapito,” case number 14-cr-00658, in the Southern District of California, and 09-CR-383, in the Northern District of Illinois. Son of Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, alias “El Chapo,” and leader of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

5. Ismael Zambada Sicairos, alias “Mayito Flaco,” case number 14-cr-00658, in the Southern District of California. Leader of “Los Mayos,” a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel linked to Sinaloa drug lord Ismael Mario Zambada García, alias “El Mayo.”

6. José Gil Caro Quintero, alias "El Pelo Chino," case number 22-cr-00036, in the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. Alleged leader of the Caborca ​​Cartel in Sonora, and nephew of Sinaloa drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, alias "El Príncipe."

This information was released the same day in a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California—which includes San Diego and Imperial counties—of the DOJ, which filed, on May 13, 2025, the first formal indictment for "narcoterrorism and material support for terrorism in connection with the trafficking of massive quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States" against Pedro Inzunza Noriega, aka "Sagitario," "120," and/or "El De La Silla," a 62-year-old former leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, and his son, Pedro Izunza Coronel, aka "Pichón" and/or "Pájaro," a 33-year-old native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa.

The latter is believed to be one of the current leaders of the Sinaloa criminal organization, along with Óscar Manuel Gastélum Iribe, alias "El Músico," and Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias "El Chapo Isidro," a former trusted agent of Arturo Beltrán Leyva, alias "El Barbas," and also the alleged leader of "Los Mazatlecos."

Furthermore, the indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California includes the following defendants, under case number 25cr1505: David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez, alias "Tano" or "Mr. Jordan," originally from Culiacán de Rosales. In addition to Óscar René González Menéndez, alias "Rubio," from Guatemala; Elías Alberto Quirós Benavides, from Costa Rica; Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez, alias “Chopper,” from Sonora; and Javier Alonso Vázquez Sánchez, alias “Tito” or “Drilo,” from Los Mochis.

“They are described as leaders of one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks on behalf of the Beltrán Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Adam Gordon, head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, during a press conference held in San Diego.

“Since its inception, the Beltrán Leyva organization has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, engaging in shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture, and the harvesting of drug kills to sustain their operation,” the U.S. federal official added.

“Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are charged with drug trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering as leaders.” "The Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO), a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, considered the largest fentanyl production network in the world," the DOJ said in a statement.

"Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment is a direct result of President Trump's Executive Order 14157, which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and the subsequent designation of the same by the Secretary of State on February 20, 2025," the U.S. government detailed.

"The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex and dangerous terrorist organization, and dismantling it requires an innovative and decisive legal response. Its days of brutalizing the American people without consequences are over; We will seek life sentences for these terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, quoted in the statement.

“The initiatives of Operation Take Back America reflect the reality that narco-terrorists operate like a cancer within a state. They spread violence, corruption, and fear. Left unchecked, their growth would lead to the destruction of public order. This indictment reflects justice when the Department of Justice, along with its law enforcement partners, brings its full influence to bear against the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon.

“These charges highlight the tireless efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with lethal drugs,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego.

“The BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine bound for the United States in history,” said Houtan Moshrefi, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in San Diego.

“Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement actions against the Noriegas reaffirm our commitment to dismantling and dismantling this dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating drug trafficking,” Moshrefi added.

“According to court documents, since its inception, the Beltrán Leyva faction has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations operating in Mexico, engaging in shootings, murders, kidnappings, torture, and violent drug debt collection to sustain its operations,” the DOJ said.

“The Beltrán Leyva faction controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico, including Tijuana [Baja California], and operates with violent impunity, trafficking lethal drugs, threatening communities, and attacking key officials, all while obtaining millions of dollars from their criminal activities,” the U.S. government stated.

“Pedro Inzunza Noriega collaborates closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to aggressively produce and traffic fentanyl to the United States, the government has alleged. Court documents indicate that, together, father and son lead one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world,” the DOJ commented.

“In recent years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl to the United States. On December 3, 2024, Mexican authorities raided several locations in Sinaloa controlled and operated by the father and son, and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl, the largest fentanyl seizure in the world,” the U.S. government recalled.

“These indictments continue a notable tradition in the Southern District of California of targeting the leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels, from the dismantling of the Arellano Félix Cartel to major attacks against today’s most dangerous, powerful, and violent cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and now the Beltrán Leyva Organization. This is the first indictment from the newly formed Narcoterrorism Unit, established following the swearing-in of U.S. Attorney Gordon on April 11, 2025,” the DOJ emphasized.

“The indictment against Pedro Inzunza Noriega reflects the Southern District of California's ongoing pursuit of the Sinaloa Cartel. In a federal law enforcement operation this Tuesday, approximately 1,500 kilograms of fentanyl pills were seized, and two men were captured. Firearms were also seized. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton,” the U.S. government added.

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 21, USC, Sections 960a and 841. Narcoterrorism. Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison, and a $20 million fine.

Title 18, USC, Section 2339B. Providing material support for terrorism. Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Title 21, USC, Section 848(a). Continuing criminal enterprise. Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 20 years, and a $10 million fine.

Title 21, USC, Sections 952, 959, 960, and 963. International conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a $10 million fine.

Title 21, USC, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a $10 million fine.

Title 21, USC, Sections 952, 960, and 963. Conspiracy to import controlled substances. Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a $10 million fine.

Title 18, USC, Section 1956(h). Money laundering conspiracy. Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine in the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.

SOURCE: ZETA TIJUANA 

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Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Charged with Narco-Terrorism, Material Support of Terrorism and Drug Trafficking. Pedro Inzunza Noriega "Sagitario" And His Son Pedro Inzunza Coronel "El Pichon" Become First To Be Charged With Narcoterrorism

 CHAR 

PRESS RELEASE BY THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025

SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed today is the first in the nation to charge alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel with narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as key leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that is believed to be the world’s largest known fentanyl production network. Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over — we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

“Operation Take Back America initiatives reflect the reality that narco-terrorists operate as a cancer within a state,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “They metastasize violence, corruption and fear. If left unchecked, their growth would lead to the death of law and order. This indictment is what justice looks like when the full measure of the Department of Justice along with its law enforcement partners is brought to bear against the Sinaloa Cartel.”

“These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations San Diego. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will not allow cartel-driven drug trafficking to threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. We are all lasered focused on a unified effort to dismantling these networks and their factions in bringing those responsible to justice.”

“BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest-ever drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine destined for the United States,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement efforts against the Noriegas reaffirms our commitment to dismantling and disrupting this very dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating narco-trafficking.”

According to court documents, since its inception the Beltran Leyva faction has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations to operate in Mexico, engaging in shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture and violent collection of drug debts to sustain its operations. The Beltran Leyva faction controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico – including Tijuana – and operates with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while making millions of dollars from their criminal activities.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega works closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to produce and aggressively traffic fentanyl to the United States, the government has alleged. Court documents indicate that together the father and son lead one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world. Over the past several years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the father and son and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl – the largest seizure of fentanyl in the world.

These indictments follow a notable tradition in the Southern District of California for targeting leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel and now the Beltran Leyva Organization. It is the first indictment from the newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit which was established upon the swearing in of U.S. Attorney Gordon on April 11, 2025.

The indictment of Pedro Inzunza Noriega reflects the Southern District of California’s pursuit of the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal drug trafficking indictments are pending against all alleged leaders of its Beltran Leyva faction, including:

• Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka “Chapo Isidro,” case number: 19-CR-1272 in the Southern District of California and 12-116BAH in the District of Columbia
• Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe aka “El Musico,” case number 19-CR-3736 in the Southern District of California; 09-CR-00672 in the Northern District of Illinois; 15-CR-00195 in the District of Columbia, and
• Pedro Inzunza Noriega aka “Sagitario,” case number 25cr1505.

The Southern District of California also has indictments pending against other leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including:

• Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar aka “El Chapito,” case number 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California and 09-CR-383 in the Northern District of Illinois
• Ismael Zambada Sicairos aka “Mayito Flaco,” case number: 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California; and
• Jose Gil Caro Quintero aka “El Chino,” case number 22-cr-00036 in the District of Columbia

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 25cr1505                                               

Pedro Inzunza Noriega                                    Age: 62              Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

aka “Sagitario,” aka “120,”
 aka “El De La Silla”

Pedro Inzunza Coronel                                    Age: 33              Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

Aka “Pichon,” Aka “Pajaro”                                               
 Aka “Bird”

David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez                Age: 50             Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and 

Aka “Tano,” Aka “Mr. Jordan”                                                   Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico                                                                                                                                                                    
Oscar Rene Gonzalez Menendez                       Age: 45             Guatemala City, Guatemala        Aka “Rubio”

Elias Alberto Quiros Benavides                        Age: 53              San Jose, Costa Rica

Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez                               Age: 47              Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

Aka “Chopper”

Javier Alonso Vazquez Sanchez                       Age: 31               Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

Aka “Tito”, Aka “Drilo”

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narco-Terrorism

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine

Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism

Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 - International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine

Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)

Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations

Federal Bureau of Investigation

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

Indictment 

Unsealed 25CR1505CAB Indictment.pdf

Contact

Kelly Thornton, Director of Media Relations

Updated May 13, 2025

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Chapo Isidro, the boss who grew up under the watchful eye of the Army; Secretary Of Defense Of Mexico places him at the level of “El Mayo” and Caro Quintero

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This information was posted by EL UNIVERSAL

Over the past two decades, the drug lord has expanded his sphere of influence into Sinaloa, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Durango and Nayarit. The Army places him on the same level as El Chapo Guzmán and El Mayo Zambada.

Chapo Isidro, the drug lord who grew up under the watchful eye of the Army. Illustration: by Ani Cortés

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM 

WRITTEN BY: MIRIAM RAMIREZ 

FEBRUARY 9, 2025 

Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias Chapo Isidro, or as some refer to him, the “other Chapo,” has just been listed by the FBI as one of the 10 most wanted criminals in the world, and is offering 5 million dollars, about 100 million pesos, for information leading to his arrest. He is considered the head of a “large-scale” organization. The United States government accuses him of introducing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana into that country. With the designation that occurred just last Tuesday, Meza Flores entered the “big leagues” of international crime, however, in Mexico there is a history of almost two decades that precedes him and is recorded by military intelligence; it includes his arrest and release on at least four occasions and satellite images of the addresses where until a few years ago he took refuge in the mountains of Sinaloa.

In 2008, at just 25 years old, he assumed the war leadership of the Beltrán Leyva brothers' organization when they separated from the Sinaloa Cartel. At that time, the Beltráns began a battle against Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada García, alias El Mayo, similar to the one currently being fought by the Guzmáns and the Zambadas. These have been the two largest splits of the Cartel.

Just a few years later, on May 4, 2011, Chapo Isidro was arrested in Culiacán, accused of committing crimes against health, illegal deprivation of liberty, and violating the Federal Law Against Organized Crime, according to an identification card prepared in May 2020 by the General Adjutant of the Secretary of National Defense. However, he was released without detailing the reasons or the institutions that participated.

According to internal Sedena documents that can be consulted through the mega-leak of Guacamaya Leaks, in 2012 the Guzmán Loera and Zambada García factions managed to displace the Beltrán Leyva from Sinaloa, and established their hegemony in most of the municipalities of the state. And although they were seriously weakened, the Beltráns never really disappeared.

In that year, in parallel, the United States issued the first accusation against Meza Flores. It was filed in the Court for the District of Columbia.

Free and in operation, El Chapo Isidro established himself in the north of Sinaloa and took total control of the municipalities of Guasave and Sinaloa de Leyva. And although they tried hard, neither El Chapo nor El Mayo were able to take those territories from him.

While Chapo Isidro was increasing his military, logistical and political capabilities in the northern zone, he was arrested three more times in a period of two years, according to the same document from the Aide: on July 9, 2014, in Guasave; on August 8, 2014, in Ahome and on April 16, 2015, in Guasave again.

Beginning in 2016, Meza Flores' structure expanded its areas of operation to 13 of the now 20 municipalities of Sinaloa. He made sure to flank the state with a presence in the north, south, coast and mountains.

Due to his imminent growth, in 2018 the Army classified him as the leader of several criminal cells that operated not only in Sinaloa, but also in Sonora, Baja California Sur, Durango and Nayarit.

Although this drug lord had kept a low profile and that had helped him not to be heavily pursued by the authorities, as happened with El Chapo or El Mayo, on November 26, 2019, a federal indictment and a federal arrest warrant were issued against him in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Then came the production of fentanyl, the new great enemy of the United States and, according to the Mexican and American governments, Chapo Isidro also entered the manufacturing of the now famous blue tablets. In December 2024, the Mexican government seized a ton of fentanyl in Sinaloa, and it was immediately awarded to him. That, inevitably, put him on the priorities of the Mexican and American authorities.

For this work, dozens of emails, diagnoses and analyses of the security situation were reviewed. The reports were prepared by the Ministry of National Defense, the National Guard and the CERFI of the West and Northwest, intelligence centers that provide information to Sedena, the Ministry of the Navy, the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection and the National Intelligence Center.

The reports track the movements of El Chapo Isidro. Year after year, they mapped his presence in the country, traced the sea and land routes he used for drug trafficking, and placed him on the same level of hierarchy as Joaquín Guzmán Loera, Ismael Zambada García, Rafael Caro Quintero and, in recent years, Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, alias El Chapito.

The FBI has included Meza Flores on its list of the 10 most wanted fugitives in the world. It is offering a reward of five million dollars, approximately 100 million Mexican pesos.

The takeoff

In February 2016, a document prepared by the Criminal Investigation Agency included Meza Flores among the 122 priority targets of the federal government. El Chapo Isidro was then eleventh on the list and was identified as the leader of the Beltrán Leyva organization in Sinaloa. That same year, the Sedena recorded that he was engaged in an intense dispute with the Sinaloa Cartel in other territories with the intention of extending his production areas beyond Guasave and Sinaloa de Leyva. In December 2017, the Third Military Region reported that Meza Flores had managed to enter the neighboring municipalities of El Fuerte, Ahome and Angostura, the latter two allowing him to have access to the Sinaloa coastline and, from there, create a new maritime route. It also began to establish itself in the mountainous area of ​​southern Sinaloa, in the municipalities of San Ignacio, Mazatlán, El Rosario and Escuinapa, places that share borders with Durango and Nayarit.

At that time, according to military intelligence documents, Meza Flores used a maritime route for drug trafficking that started in the port of Topolobampo, in the northern municipality of Ahome, then stopped in Bahía de Kino, in the municipality of Hermosillo, Sonora, and ended in Puerto Peñasco, very close to the border with Arizona.

At the end of 2018, the Sedena identified a new maritime route. With control of Ahome and Angostura, Meza Flores planned the trip to Loreto, Baja California Sur, through the Gulf of California.

As for the land route, Chapo Isidro has used Federal Highway Mexico 15, the most used to travel from Sinaloa to Sonora.

The combination of the surnames Meza Flores began to stand out in documents on drug trafficking and armed power in Durango, Nayarit and Baja California Sur. In a criminal diagnosis of the Western Region of Mexico, dated December 2018, the Sedena stated that Isidro was the leader of criminal cells that operated in the northern, central, northern coastal and mountain regions of Nayarit. Meanwhile, in Durango, the Third Military Region estimated that Meza Flores maintained a 15% presence in the state, especially in the mountain municipalities of San Dimas, Pueblo Nuevo and Mezquital, areas close to the south of Sinaloa and north of Nayarit.

In August 2022, an intelligence operation carried out by the Sedena and the United States government managed to obtain aerial images of the capo's location.

El Chapo Isidro had stopped being a local leader to become one of the major players in Mexican crime. By July 2019, the Sedena stated that the capo had formed the “Triple Alliance” in Baja California Sur, a union between the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, the local organization “Los Renés” and himself. The objective of this meeting was to fight the Sinaloa Cartel for control of the municipalities of La Paz, Los Cabos, Comondú and Loreto.

The power accumulated by El Chapo Isidro already allowed him to fight different battles simultaneously. In that same year, but in Sonora, he sought control of drug trafficking and sales in Guaymas, another strategic municipality due to its location on the Pacific Ocean coast.

Between 2020 and 2021, Sedena reaffirmed Meza Flores' total control in Guasave and Sinaloa de Leyva, and added its partial presence in Choix, El Fuerte, Ahome, Angostura, Salvador Alvarado, Navolato, Concordia, San Ignacio, Mazatlán, Escuinapa and El Rosario.

The image was obtained after an overflight carried out by the United States government in coordination with the Sedena, according to internal Army documents.

Dozens of emails exchanged between the director of Air Operations and Customs and Border Protection Services of the United States and a high-ranking Sedena official, whose position was not identified, show an intelligence operation carried out by both countries between 2019 and 2022, in the first part of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

They called it Operation Mongoose, and it carried out overflights in Mexican territory with aircraft and pilots from the United States government through Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit. It also intercepted radio signals and recorded conversations.

On August 8, 2022, Operation Mongoose obtained two key images of El Chapo Isidro. Aerial photographs show a complex of 10 cabins located in the mountain community of El Batamote, Guasave, Sinaloa. Another image shows a country-style hacienda in the community of Estación Bamoa, Sinaloa de Leyva. The documents that contain the exact coordinates of the locations are titled “The house where Chapo Isidro slept” and “Chapo Isidro’s cabins.”

Today he is free, and is one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives.

SOURCE: EL UNIVERSAL 

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