The former leader of the Cartel del Noreste drug cartel pleaded guilty on November 19 to multiple drug trafficking charges in federal court in San Antonio, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Juan Gerardo Treviño-Chavez, also known as "El Huevo," pleaded guilty on Tuesday to 15 drug trafficking charges involving operations across Mexico and the U.S. border, according to U.S. officials.
Treviño-Chavez, 42, led the Cartel del Noreste following its split from the Los Zetas cartel from September 2016 until his capture in March 2022. The Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, located opposite Laredo, Texas, is regarded as a stronghold for the cartel.
He pleaded guilty to 11 charges in the Western District of Texas, including conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of drug operations. Additional charges include money laundering and employing a person under 18 in drug trafficking activities.
He also pleaded guilty to four charges in the Eastern District of Texas, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, operating a continuing criminal enterprise, smuggling goods from the U.S. and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Treviño-Chavez is set to be sentenced in May 2025 and could face a life sentence. The final decision will be made by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Meanwhile, a senior member of another Mexican cartel, accused of faking his death to gain entry into the U.S., has been arrested two years after facing drug trafficking charges.
Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, 37, the son-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes—commonly known as "El Mencho," leader of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación—was taken into custody in Riverside, California, on Tuesday, according to the DOJ.
Gutierrez-Ochoa faces charges of international drug trafficking and money laundering, linked to his alleged role in importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine into the U.S. over several years.
The news comes as a Republican representative has urged the GOP to establish a dedicated committee to address the growing threat of drug cartels amid a push for military action against crime syndicates in Mexico.
Representative Dan Crenshaw, who serves Texas' 2nd Congressional District, is pushing for a specialized committee on cartels, seeking to bolster efforts to combat the escalating violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
President-elect Donald Trump vowed to intensify efforts against cartels and has appointed three hard-line officials to carry out his border security agenda.
Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump's first term, is set to serve as border czar in the Republican's second administration.
Tackling the cartels is a top priority for Homan. In July, during a speech at the Republican National Convention, he warned Mexican cartels that Trump would eliminate them "off the face of the earth".
Stephen Miller will serve as deputy chief of staff for policy and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has received the nomination for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
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