Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Jesus Mendez-Vargas Was a Leader of the Ruthless La Familia Michoacana Cartel’s Narcotics Trafficking Enterprise, Responsible for Importing Vast Quantities of Methamphetamine and Cocaine into the United States
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JESUS MENDEZ-VARGAS, a/k/a “Chango,” with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. MENDEZ-VARGAS was taken into U.S. custody from Mexico and was presented on the charge contained in the Indictment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jesus Mendez-Vargas was a leader of the violent drug trafficking organization, La Familia Michoacana, based in Mexico, with primary responsibility for the organization’s drug trafficking activities from approximately 2006 to 2011. La Familia imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico and engaged in extensive violence in furtherance of its drug trafficking activities, including against those Mexican law enforcement officials who stood in its way. This Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop working to see that those who lead violent drug trafficking organizations are met with the consequences of their actions. Mendez-Vargas will now face justice in an American courtroom.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino said: “The indictment against Jesus Mendez-Vargas, leader of La Familia Michoacana cartel is another example of the DEA’s determination to identify, target and eliminate drug traffickers poisoning our communities with fentanyl and methamphetamine. This removal demonstrates the New York Division’s relentless pursuit and unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:1
MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader in La Familia Michoacana (“LFM”), a powerful, violent drug trafficking organization based in the state of Michoacan, in southwestern Mexico. LFM controlled drug manufacturing and distribution within and around the state of Michoacan, as well as the port of Lazaro Cardenas, a key drug transshipment point. LFM imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico. LFM leadership forbade the sale or use of methamphetamine in the areas under its control in Mexico, and instructed LFM members that its methamphetamine was solely for export to the U.S. From approximately 2006 to 2011, MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader of LFM, with primary responsibility for LFM’s drug trafficking activities.
LFM engaged in violence, including assault, murder, and kidnapping to support its narcotics trafficking activities. LFM also used heavy weaponry, including military-grade weapons, assault weapons, and ammunition smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico by LFM’s associates for use by LFM. On or about July 14, 2009, approximately two days after the arrest of a high-level LFM leader, the bodies of 12 Mexican federal police officers believed to have been murdered were discovered in Michoacan. Days later, another member of LFM contacted a local television station in Michoacan and, among other things, claimed that LFM was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors, and that LFM kidnaps people who owed LFM money and those whose family members worked in state and federal governments.
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MENDEZ-VARGAS, 51, of Mexico, is charged with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S., which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Field Division, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This prosecution is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The OCDETF New York Strike Force 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 specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander N. Li, Daniel G. Nessim, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.