David Hernandez of Logansport guilty of a class A felony charge of dealing in cocaine.

29-year-old David Hernandez of Logansport guilty of a class A felony charge of dealing in cocaine. He sentenced Hernandez to the maximum permitted under the plea agreement.Hernandez and his wife, 22-year-old Siomara Figueroa, were among five people arrested in October in a raid on two homes led by the Cass County Drug Task Force. All five were charged with class A felonies carrying a sentence of up to 50 years in prison.Hernandez signed a plea deal that capped the overall sentence at 30 years, with the executed portion limited to 20 years. The deal also called for prosecutors to drop their case against Figueroa, who sat in the courtroom Tuesday. Because Hernandez was too emotional to read his prepared statement to the court, an interpreter read it aloud in English.
In the letter, Hernandez asked for forgiveness not only from the court, but from God and his wife and children, who he wanted to be reunited. He admitted his wrongdoing and said he would accept the punishment.Chief Deputy Prosecutor Lisa Swaim called Sgt. Jim Klepinger of the drug task force to testify. She asked him about the investigation into Hernandez’s drug-dealing operation. Klepinger said the task force recorded four controlled buys using a confidential informant. The amounts varied from 3.5 grams up to 28.5 grams.It takes three grams to constitute a class A felony under Indiana law.Klepinger added that officers also seized another 28.5 grams when they raided the two homes.Swaim referred to Hernandez as a “high-level dealer,” and Klepinger agreed. On cross examination, Indianapolis attorney Jason Reyome wanted to know whether Klepinger’s consideration of Hernandez as a big-time dealer was relative to the community where he was arrested. He said drug investigations in other communities net kilos, not mere ounces.
“I don’t consider ounces to be minor,” Klepinger responded.
Swaim pointed out that Hernandez was not a cocaine user but strictly a seller. She said his actions put the community at risk.
“He made it his business to enter the country illegally and sell poison,” Swaim said in court.Once he finishes his sentence, Hernandez will be deported to Mexico. Swaim said that if he ever returned to the United States, he would face an additional 10 years in the DOC for probation violation.Reyome had argued that the judge should suspend his client’s sentence for the benefit of taxpayers in these difficult economic times. If the entire sentence were suspended, Hernandez would be deported immediately, Reyome said, and that would eliminate the cost of housing him as an inmate. If Hernandez returned, which Reyome said would be unlikely even though his wife and children are legal residents of the United States, he would face a 30-year prison term.Maughmer wanted to know what then would happen to the punishment deserved for violating the laws of a sovereign nation. Reyome said Hernandez had already served five months in jail. The judge expressed his concern that sending Hernandez back to Mexico without proper punishment would set an undesired precedent.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement already deported one defendant. Earlier this month, an immigration officer removed 24-year-old Martin Rafael Hernandez from the jail after the prosecutor’s office dismissed its case.Both Martin and David Hernandez, along with Figueroa and 33-year-old Javier Serrato and 34-year-old Maria Isabel Cabbrera, were arrested Oct. 23 when officers served search warrants at 1517 George St. and 312 19th St.

David Hernandez of Logansport guilty of a class A felony charge of dealing in cocaine.

29-year-old David Hernandez of Logansport guilty of a class A felony charge of dealing in cocaine. He sentenced Hernandez to the maximum permitted under the plea agreement.Hernandez and his wife, 22-year-old Siomara Figueroa, were among five people arrested in October in a raid on two homes led by the Cass County Drug Task Force. All five were charged with class A felonies carrying a sentence of up to 50 years in prison.Hernandez signed a plea deal that capped the overall sentence at 30 years, with the executed portion limited to 20 years. The deal also called for prosecutors to drop their case against Figueroa, who sat in the courtroom Tuesday. Because Hernandez was too emotional to read his prepared statement to the court, an interpreter read it aloud in English.
In the letter, Hernandez asked for forgiveness not only from the court, but from God and his wife and children, who he wanted to be reunited. He admitted his wrongdoing and said he would accept the punishment.Chief Deputy Prosecutor Lisa Swaim called Sgt. Jim Klepinger of the drug task force to testify. She asked him about the investigation into Hernandez’s drug-dealing operation. Klepinger said the task force recorded four controlled buys using a confidential informant. The amounts varied from 3.5 grams up to 28.5 grams.It takes three grams to constitute a class A felony under Indiana law.Klepinger added that officers also seized another 28.5 grams when they raided the two homes.Swaim referred to Hernandez as a “high-level dealer,” and Klepinger agreed. On cross examination, Indianapolis attorney Jason Reyome wanted to know whether Klepinger’s consideration of Hernandez as a big-time dealer was relative to the community where he was arrested. He said drug investigations in other communities net kilos, not mere ounces.
“I don’t consider ounces to be minor,” Klepinger responded.
Swaim pointed out that Hernandez was not a cocaine user but strictly a seller. She said his actions put the community at risk.
“He made it his business to enter the country illegally and sell poison,” Swaim said in court.Once he finishes his sentence, Hernandez will be deported to Mexico. Swaim said that if he ever returned to the United States, he would face an additional 10 years in the DOC for probation violation.Reyome had argued that the judge should suspend his client’s sentence for the benefit of taxpayers in these difficult economic times. If the entire sentence were suspended, Hernandez would be deported immediately, Reyome said, and that would eliminate the cost of housing him as an inmate. If Hernandez returned, which Reyome said would be unlikely even though his wife and children are legal residents of the United States, he would face a 30-year prison term.Maughmer wanted to know what then would happen to the punishment deserved for violating the laws of a sovereign nation. Reyome said Hernandez had already served five months in jail. The judge expressed his concern that sending Hernandez back to Mexico without proper punishment would set an undesired precedent.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement already deported one defendant. Earlier this month, an immigration officer removed 24-year-old Martin Rafael Hernandez from the jail after the prosecutor’s office dismissed its case.Both Martin and David Hernandez, along with Figueroa and 33-year-old Javier Serrato and 34-year-old Maria Isabel Cabbrera, were arrested Oct. 23 when officers served search warrants at 1517 George St. and 312 19th St.

Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.

The Defense Department says Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.Mexican soldiers have captured an alleged high-ranking member of a drug gang known as "The Family."A Defense statement alleges he was in charge of U.S.-bound cocaine shipments arriving at the state's Lazaro Cardenas port from South America.He is also accused of bribing police, extorting businesses and ordering kidnappings and killings.Mexico's Attorney General's office was interrogating him Wednesday.Drug-related murders have nearly doubled this year to 5,300, federal officials say, despite a government crackdown on organized crime.

Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.

The Defense Department says Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.Mexican soldiers have captured an alleged high-ranking member of a drug gang known as "The Family."A Defense statement alleges he was in charge of U.S.-bound cocaine shipments arriving at the state's Lazaro Cardenas port from South America.He is also accused of bribing police, extorting businesses and ordering kidnappings and killings.Mexico's Attorney General's office was interrogating him Wednesday.Drug-related murders have nearly doubled this year to 5,300, federal officials say, despite a government crackdown on organized crime.

Eduardo Arellano Felix captured by Mexican law enforcement agents

Mexican law enforcement agents have captured Eduardo Arellano Felix, a suspected leader of the brutal, Baja California-based drug cartel responsible for smuggling large amounts of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine to the United States.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had offered $5 million for information leading to his capture. Arellano has been indicted in U.S. federal court in San Diego. Mexican officials said Sunday that Arellano was arrested at a Tijuana residence Saturday night, along with his daughter. The daughter's name was not available. They have been taken to Mexico City, as is the case with most high-profile arrests in drug cases. The DEA also confirmed Arellano's detention. It is the latest in a series of arrests in recent years that has weakened the organization. As the cartel has lost its grip on the lucrative drug-smuggling routes into the United States, a deadly battle for control of the Tijuana region has ensued. Eduardo Arellano's arrest follows that of his three brothers, Benjamin, Francisco Rafael and Francisco Javier, and the death of a fourth, Ramon, who was killed in a 2002 shootout with Mexican police in the state of Sinaloa.
Eduardo Arellano, nicknamed El Doctor, has been described as a reclusive former medical student in charge of overseeing the group's finances. With the removal of his brothers, he played an increasingly important role. A nephew, Fernando Sanchez Arellano, has been said to be in charge of the group's day-to-day operations. But Sanchez has been challenged by a former crew leader, Eduardo Garcia Simental, known as El Teo, and their battle has claimed the lives of close to 150 people in Tijuana in the past month.

Eduardo Arellano Felix captured by Mexican law enforcement agents

Mexican law enforcement agents have captured Eduardo Arellano Felix, a suspected leader of the brutal, Baja California-based drug cartel responsible for smuggling large amounts of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine to the United States.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had offered $5 million for information leading to his capture. Arellano has been indicted in U.S. federal court in San Diego. Mexican officials said Sunday that Arellano was arrested at a Tijuana residence Saturday night, along with his daughter. The daughter's name was not available. They have been taken to Mexico City, as is the case with most high-profile arrests in drug cases. The DEA also confirmed Arellano's detention. It is the latest in a series of arrests in recent years that has weakened the organization. As the cartel has lost its grip on the lucrative drug-smuggling routes into the United States, a deadly battle for control of the Tijuana region has ensued. Eduardo Arellano's arrest follows that of his three brothers, Benjamin, Francisco Rafael and Francisco Javier, and the death of a fourth, Ramon, who was killed in a 2002 shootout with Mexican police in the state of Sinaloa.
Eduardo Arellano, nicknamed El Doctor, has been described as a reclusive former medical student in charge of overseeing the group's finances. With the removal of his brothers, he played an increasingly important role. A nephew, Fernando Sanchez Arellano, has been said to be in charge of the group's day-to-day operations. But Sanchez has been challenged by a former crew leader, Eduardo Garcia Simental, known as El Teo, and their battle has claimed the lives of close to 150 people in Tijuana in the past month.

Arrested Teodoro Fino Restrepo, who allegedly arranged cocaine shipments from Colombia to Mexico's Beltran Leyva cartel.

Arrested Teodoro Fino Restrepo, who allegedly arranged cocaine shipments from Colombia to Mexico's Beltran Leyva cartel.All the suspects are being held on suspicion of drug trafficking, money laundering and organised-crime activities, Ms Morales said. Authorities had been investigating the group since 2005.
"This is important, because it breaks a logistic link in the chain that supplies Mexican cartels with cocaine," she said.

Arrested Teodoro Fino Restrepo, who allegedly arranged cocaine shipments from Colombia to Mexico's Beltran Leyva cartel.

Arrested Teodoro Fino Restrepo, who allegedly arranged cocaine shipments from Colombia to Mexico's Beltran Leyva cartel.All the suspects are being held on suspicion of drug trafficking, money laundering and organised-crime activities, Ms Morales said. Authorities had been investigating the group since 2005.
"This is important, because it breaks a logistic link in the chain that supplies Mexican cartels with cocaine," she said.

Benjamin Arellano Felix known as "El Min", to be extradited

Mexico agreed on Tuesday to extradite drug lord Benjamin Arellano Felix to the United States as suspected drug hitmen killed another six people in a border city in the latest round of a killing spree.Arellano Felix, known as "El Min", was head of the powerful Tijuana cartel that operates across the U.S. border from San Diego, California until his capture in early 2002.Mexico's Attorney General's office said Arellano Felix will be tried in a Southern California court on charges of smuggling tonnes of cocaine into California between 1990 and 2000.The decision overturns a decision in May by a Mexican federal judge to block the extradition.Arellano Felix, whose cartel is now run by sister Enedina and brother Eduardo, is the latest high profile Mexican drug lord to be extradited by the government of President Felipe Calderon, who took office in 2006.Calderon extradited former Gulf cartel leader Osiel Cardenas to Texas in January 2007, marking increased U.S.-Mexico cooperation in the drug fight.Mexican drug violence is spiraling as cartels fight each other for control of smuggling routes.The latest six to die in Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico brought the death toll in the city bordering El Paso, Texas, to 41 since the start of the weekend, police said. Gunmen killed 17 people on Sunday alone.Over 500 people have been killed in Ciudad Juarez since the start of the year, making it the most deadly city in Mexico's drug war, despite a large deployment of well-armed troops and federal police.Calderon said on Tuesday the surge in killings in places like Ciudad Juarez was due to local gangs battling over ever smaller smuggling turf.
More than 4,000 people have been killed in drug violence since December 2006, when Calderon took office. More than 1,600 people have been killed this year, a faster rate than in 2007.

Benjamin Arellano Felix known as "El Min", to be extradited

Mexico agreed on Tuesday to extradite drug lord Benjamin Arellano Felix to the United States as suspected drug hitmen killed another six people in a border city in the latest round of a killing spree.Arellano Felix, known as "El Min", was head of the powerful Tijuana cartel that operates across the U.S. border from San Diego, California until his capture in early 2002.Mexico's Attorney General's office said Arellano Felix will be tried in a Southern California court on charges of smuggling tonnes of cocaine into California between 1990 and 2000.The decision overturns a decision in May by a Mexican federal judge to block the extradition.Arellano Felix, whose cartel is now run by sister Enedina and brother Eduardo, is the latest high profile Mexican drug lord to be extradited by the government of President Felipe Calderon, who took office in 2006.Calderon extradited former Gulf cartel leader Osiel Cardenas to Texas in January 2007, marking increased U.S.-Mexico cooperation in the drug fight.Mexican drug violence is spiraling as cartels fight each other for control of smuggling routes.The latest six to die in Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico brought the death toll in the city bordering El Paso, Texas, to 41 since the start of the weekend, police said. Gunmen killed 17 people on Sunday alone.Over 500 people have been killed in Ciudad Juarez since the start of the year, making it the most deadly city in Mexico's drug war, despite a large deployment of well-armed troops and federal police.Calderon said on Tuesday the surge in killings in places like Ciudad Juarez was due to local gangs battling over ever smaller smuggling turf.
More than 4,000 people have been killed in drug violence since December 2006, when Calderon took office. More than 1,600 people have been killed this year, a faster rate than in 2007.

Edgar Millan shot nine times as he came home by professional killers

Edgar Millan shot nine times as he came home early in the morning and opened the door, government officials said."They were hunting him," a spokesman for the Security Ministry said.Mexican media said the attackers, one of whom was caught by Millan's bodyguards, were professional killers hired by the powerful Sinaloa cartel, headed by Mexico's most wanted man, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman. The man arrested had two pistols, one with a silencer, and was wearing a latex glove.
Millan was the head of operations for a federal police force known as the PFP and was in charge of coordinating large-scale operations to break organized crime rings, including drug trafficking.Calderon has sent thousands of troops and federal police to take on drug gangs near the U.S. border and in other parts of Mexico since he took office in December 2006.The president's office condemned the "cowardly murder of an exemplary public servant who was committed to the safety of Mexican families."Millan scuffled with his attackers as they shot him at close range, El Universal newspaper said.

Edgar Millan shot nine times as he came home by professional killers

Edgar Millan shot nine times as he came home early in the morning and opened the door, government officials said."They were hunting him," a spokesman for the Security Ministry said.Mexican media said the attackers, one of whom was caught by Millan's bodyguards, were professional killers hired by the powerful Sinaloa cartel, headed by Mexico's most wanted man, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman. The man arrested had two pistols, one with a silencer, and was wearing a latex glove.
Millan was the head of operations for a federal police force known as the PFP and was in charge of coordinating large-scale operations to break organized crime rings, including drug trafficking.Calderon has sent thousands of troops and federal police to take on drug gangs near the U.S. border and in other parts of Mexico since he took office in December 2006.The president's office condemned the "cowardly murder of an exemplary public servant who was committed to the safety of Mexican families."Millan scuffled with his attackers as they shot him at close range, El Universal newspaper said.

Carlos "El Puma" Landin sentenced to the maximum life imprisonment

Carlos "El Puma" Landin, the suspected leader of Mexico's powerful Gulf drug cartel who was one of the country's most wanted men, was arrested last year by U.S. authorities while shopping in the Texas border town of McAllen.The Gulf cartel and its armed wing the Zetas dominate smuggling routes into Texas via the violence-wracked Mexican border cities of Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo.
Landin was found guilty by a jury in January of a total of nine counts of drug trafficking and money laundering."U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Landin to the maximum -- life imprisonment -- for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and various counts of distributing more than 50 kilograms of cocaine," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement."Landin also received the maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and laundering more than $1.6 million in drug proceeds," it said.

Carlos "El Puma" Landin sentenced to the maximum life imprisonment

Carlos "El Puma" Landin, the suspected leader of Mexico's powerful Gulf drug cartel who was one of the country's most wanted men, was arrested last year by U.S. authorities while shopping in the Texas border town of McAllen.The Gulf cartel and its armed wing the Zetas dominate smuggling routes into Texas via the violence-wracked Mexican border cities of Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo.
Landin was found guilty by a jury in January of a total of nine counts of drug trafficking and money laundering."U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Landin to the maximum -- life imprisonment -- for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and various counts of distributing more than 50 kilograms of cocaine," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement."Landin also received the maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and laundering more than $1.6 million in drug proceeds," it said.

bloodiest days in Tijuana's history Luis Alfonso Velarde aka "Crutches," "Mr. Three Letters" "La Perra," all might be dead

"Crutches," a.k.a. Luis Alfonso Velarde, a reputed local drug lord with a handful of YouTubevideo tributes to his name.Another, even bigger "cartel" operative nicknamed "Mr. Three Letters" might be dead too, along with "La Perra," reported El Sol de Tijuana. And they may all have been ambushed by another cartel leader known as "El Cholo."But no one was willing to confirm any of that on the record.
Official silence, many here argue, helps feed the culture of corruption. It is a widely recognized truth that drug traffickers operate in Baja California and elsewhere with the protection of some public officials.On Tuesday, Gen. Sergio Aponte Polito, the commander of troops in the Baja region, took the extraordinary step of writing an open letter to a local newspaper that identified several law enforcement officials he alleged were linked to organized crime.
The letter's implicit argument was that officials who protect organized crime are likely to escape prosecution thanks to the culture of secrecy that surrounds law enforcement here."Isn't this corruption?" the general asked. "What a disgrace for the society of Baja California!"Calderon's government has worked hard to clean up law enforcement. His top police official, Genaro Garcia Luna, has purged the Federal Investigative Agency of corrupt cops. Soldiers have temporarily disarmed police in Tijuana and other cities, and several reputed drug bosses have been extradited to the United States.Yet the widespread violence shows few signs of abating. An estimated 2,500 people were killed in drug-related violence last year, officials say. So far this year, more than 850 people have been killed, according to tallies by news agencies.The objective measures by which U.S. officials determine the strength of the drug trafficking business also offer a mixed bag.

bloodiest days in Tijuana's history Luis Alfonso Velarde aka "Crutches," "Mr. Three Letters" "La Perra," all might be dead

"Crutches," a.k.a. Luis Alfonso Velarde, a reputed local drug lord with a handful of YouTubevideo tributes to his name.Another, even bigger "cartel" operative nicknamed "Mr. Three Letters" might be dead too, along with "La Perra," reported El Sol de Tijuana. And they may all have been ambushed by another cartel leader known as "El Cholo."But no one was willing to confirm any of that on the record.
Official silence, many here argue, helps feed the culture of corruption. It is a widely recognized truth that drug traffickers operate in Baja California and elsewhere with the protection of some public officials.On Tuesday, Gen. Sergio Aponte Polito, the commander of troops in the Baja region, took the extraordinary step of writing an open letter to a local newspaper that identified several law enforcement officials he alleged were linked to organized crime.
The letter's implicit argument was that officials who protect organized crime are likely to escape prosecution thanks to the culture of secrecy that surrounds law enforcement here."Isn't this corruption?" the general asked. "What a disgrace for the society of Baja California!"Calderon's government has worked hard to clean up law enforcement. His top police official, Genaro Garcia Luna, has purged the Federal Investigative Agency of corrupt cops. Soldiers have temporarily disarmed police in Tijuana and other cities, and several reputed drug bosses have been extradited to the United States.Yet the widespread violence shows few signs of abating. An estimated 2,500 people were killed in drug-related violence last year, officials say. So far this year, more than 850 people have been killed, according to tallies by news agencies.The objective measures by which U.S. officials determine the strength of the drug trafficking business also offer a mixed bag.

Osvaldo Aldrete Davila pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 100 kilos of marijuana

Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, 27, pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 100 kilos of marijuana in 2005. Aldrete faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on July 16. Former agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos are serving prison terms for shooting Aldrete from behind while he was running back to Mexico during a failed smuggling run near Fabens in February 2005. Ramos and Compean were convicted of violating Aldrete's civil rights and of tampering with evidence for not reporting the shooting and because Compean picked up his shell casings. Their cases are on appeal."We waited for this time. We knew it would come. It's another step (in proving) my husband's innocence," Monica Ramos, the wife of Ignacio Ramos, said when she left the courthouse. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who has been criticized for the prosecution of Ramos and Compean, said in a news release that Aldrete was prosecuted because there was evidence."Just as Aldrete's illegal conduct did not excuse the crimes committed by Compean and Ramos, likewise, their crimes did not excuse his," Sutton said. "Compean and Ramos had their day in court and an El Paso jury convicted them after a two and half week long jury trial. Now, Aldrete has had his day in court and will soon be paying for his crimes."

Osvaldo Aldrete Davila pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 100 kilos of marijuana

Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, 27, pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 100 kilos of marijuana in 2005. Aldrete faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on July 16. Former agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos are serving prison terms for shooting Aldrete from behind while he was running back to Mexico during a failed smuggling run near Fabens in February 2005. Ramos and Compean were convicted of violating Aldrete's civil rights and of tampering with evidence for not reporting the shooting and because Compean picked up his shell casings. Their cases are on appeal."We waited for this time. We knew it would come. It's another step (in proving) my husband's innocence," Monica Ramos, the wife of Ignacio Ramos, said when she left the courthouse. U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who has been criticized for the prosecution of Ramos and Compean, said in a news release that Aldrete was prosecuted because there was evidence."Just as Aldrete's illegal conduct did not excuse the crimes committed by Compean and Ramos, likewise, their crimes did not excuse his," Sutton said. "Compean and Ramos had their day in court and an El Paso jury convicted them after a two and half week long jury trial. Now, Aldrete has had his day in court and will soon be paying for his crimes."

Jose Rodolfo Escajeda aka "El Riquin," indicted on charges of conspiracy to import and distribute controlled substances.

Jose Rodolfo Escajeda, alias "El Riquin," is considered a fugitive and is the target of a multi-agency organized-crime task force for allegedly running a ring that transported shipments of marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. for Mexican drug cartels, DEA officials said.Escajeda, a Mexican citizen, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to import and distribute controlled substances. If convicted, he faces between 10 years and life in prison.The Escajedas, who are based in the village of Guadalupe across the Rio Grande near Tornillo, are believed to control a 120-mile corridor east of El Paso, DEA spokesman Matthew Taylor said. "When you control a part of the border, it's a major organization."The Escajeda organization allegedly smuggled more than 400,000 pounds of marijuana between 2000 and 2006.
In 2006, members of the Escajeda ring were involved in the highly publicized border standoff between Hudspeth County sheriff's deputies and men dressed as Mexican soldiers when a drug-filled SUV became stuck in the Rio Grande. Months after the standoff, Mexican federal agents raided 18 houses in Guadalupe that belonged to the Escajeda family and seized vehicles and even two tigers, the DEA and newspaper archives said. Last year, Mexican agents arrested Oscar Alonso Candelaria Escajeda, who was then the head of the drug gang, and Ivan Gandara Trejo, his brother-in-law and security chief.

Jose Rodolfo Escajeda aka "El Riquin," indicted on charges of conspiracy to import and distribute controlled substances.

Jose Rodolfo Escajeda, alias "El Riquin," is considered a fugitive and is the target of a multi-agency organized-crime task force for allegedly running a ring that transported shipments of marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. for Mexican drug cartels, DEA officials said.Escajeda, a Mexican citizen, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to import and distribute controlled substances. If convicted, he faces between 10 years and life in prison.The Escajedas, who are based in the village of Guadalupe across the Rio Grande near Tornillo, are believed to control a 120-mile corridor east of El Paso, DEA spokesman Matthew Taylor said. "When you control a part of the border, it's a major organization."The Escajeda organization allegedly smuggled more than 400,000 pounds of marijuana between 2000 and 2006.
In 2006, members of the Escajeda ring were involved in the highly publicized border standoff between Hudspeth County sheriff's deputies and men dressed as Mexican soldiers when a drug-filled SUV became stuck in the Rio Grande. Months after the standoff, Mexican federal agents raided 18 houses in Guadalupe that belonged to the Escajeda family and seized vehicles and even two tigers, the DEA and newspaper archives said. Last year, Mexican agents arrested Oscar Alonso Candelaria Escajeda, who was then the head of the drug gang, and Ivan Gandara Trejo, his brother-in-law and security chief.