On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that a senior leader of a Mexican cartel, who had previously faked his own death, has been arrested in California and charged with international drug trafficking and money laundering.
He is the son-in-law of the notorious cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely recognized as El Mencho.
“The Jalisco Cartel, known for its extreme violence and extensive drug trafficking activities, has been significantly weakened as a result of the relentless efforts by law enforcement. They have successfully tracked down and apprehended a cartel leader who cunningly faked his own death and adopted a new identity to escape the clutches of justice and enjoy a lavish lifestyle in California,” stated Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Monaco stated that Gutierrez-Ochoa was responsible for orchestrating the trafficking of dangerous drugs, resulting in extensive devastation within our communities.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Gutierrez-Ochoa is accused of personally coordinating the transportation and distribution of around 40,000 kilos of methamphetamine and 2,000 kilos of cocaine in Mexico, with the intention of smuggling them into the United States.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Gutierrez-Ochoa is accused of evading Mexican authorities and escaping to the United States. He allegedly assumed a fake identity and lived in a lavish home in Riverside, California, which was bought using money obtained from CJNG’s drug trafficking activities.
“In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri revealed that Cristian Gutierrez-Ochoa, a trusted associate of CJNG’s top leader, is believed to have overseen the smuggling of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States. Furthermore, it is alleged that Gutierrez-Ochoa resorted to acts of violence to support the criminal operations of the cartel.”
Prosecutors claim that Gutierrez-Ochoa fabricated his own death, concocting a tale of being murdered as punishment for his dishonesty.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), El Mencho is believed to have played a role in helping Gutierrez-Ochoa fake his own death. The DOJ suggests that El Mencho told his associates that he had killed Gutierrez-Ochoa for lying, which allowed Gutierrez-Ochoa to enter the United States and be with El Mencho’s daughter.
In April 2022, the DOJ issued a superseding indictment charging El Mencho with being the leader of a continuing criminal enterprise involved in the production and distribution of fentanyl for importation into the United States.
El Mencho, who is still on the run, has a bounty of up to $10 million on his head, courtesy of the State Department. They are seeking information that could lead to his capture and subsequent conviction.