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A federal court in the Central District of California has unsealed a criminal complaint charging Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, a high-ranking member of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), with international drug trafficking and money laundering. Gutierrez-Ochoa, the son-in-law of CJNG's leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, was arrested in Riverside, California, on November 19.

"The Jalisco Cartel, one of the world's most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations, is weaker today because of the tenacious efforts of law enforcement," stated Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. She emphasized that Gutierrez-Ochoa's arrest serves as a reminder that those who harm Americans and profit from their pain will be brought to justice. Monaco highlighted that the cartel leader allegedly orchestrated the trafficking of lethal narcotics that have wreaked havoc in communities.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, mentioned that over the last decade, Gutierrez-Ochoa directed the importation of tons of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States and engaged in violence to aid CJNG's criminal activities. Argentieri underscored the commitment to disrupt and dismantle Mexican drug trafficking organizations through relentless collaboration with domestic and international law enforcement partners.

According to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Gutierrez-Ochoa conspired to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States on behalf of the Jalisco Cartel. She noted the cartel's responsibility for unprecedented violence in Mexico and its significant role in the deadly drug crisis in the United States. Milgram reaffirmed the DEA's dedication to using all available tools to combat the cartel and bring its members to justice.

Court documents reveal that Gutierrez-Ochoa, who has been involved with the CJNG since approximately 2014, coordinated the transportation and distribution of around 40,000 kilograms of methamphetamine and 2,000 kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States. In a bid to further the cartel's activities, he allegedly resorted to violence, including the kidnapping of two Mexican Navy members in November 2021 to secure the release of El Mencho's wife.

Gutierrez-Ochoa allegedly fled to the United States, assumed a false identity, and lived in a luxury residence in Riverside, California, financed through CJNG's drug trafficking proceeds. El Mencho assisted Gutierrez-Ochoa in faking his death, allowing him to evade Mexican authorities and reunite with El Mencho's daughter.

Gutierrez-Ochoa faces charges of conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, knowing that these substances would be unlawfully imported into the United States, as well as conspiracy to launder CJNG's drug trafficking proceeds. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison on the drug distribution conspiracy charge, with a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a maximum of 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy charge.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Los Angeles Field Division is investigating the case, with prosecution led by Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Doug Meisel of the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California provided valuable assistance.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level drug trafficking organizations using a multi-agency approach. Further information about the OCDETF Program is available on the Justice Department's website.