U.S. authorities arrested and charged a prolific drug trafficker and son-in-law of a Mexican cartel leader this week in California, years after the suspect faked his own death and went into hiding.
Federal prosecutors said Thursday they took Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, 37, into custody on charges of international drug trafficking and money laundering.
Since 2014, Mr. Gutierrez-Ochoa is accused of moving nearly 90,000 pounds of methamphetamine and over 4,400 pounds of cocaine into the U.S. on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — one of the two main Mexican cartels that control the flow of fentanyl into the States.
The suspect, who is the son-in-law of the JNGC leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was arrested at an upscale home in Riverside, California, earlier this week.
Authorities said he began hiding out there in 2021 after helping rescue El Mencho’s wife.
“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 to track down and arrest a cartel leader who allegedly faked his own death and assumed a false identity to evade justice and live a life of luxury in California,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a release.
Court documents said Mr. Gutierrez-Ochoa kidnapped two members of the Mexican Navy in 2021 in order to force Mexican authorities to release El Mencho’s wife, who had been previously arrested.
El Mencho is accused of helping the suspect flee Mexico when the cartel leader claimed he killed Mr. Gutierrez-Ochoa for lying.
Instead, prosecutors said Mr. Gutierrez-Ochoa crossed over into the U.S. to be with his wife, who is El Mencho’s daughter.
Officials said the suspect was living lavishly off the drug trafficking proceeds he helped bring in for the cartel until his arrest.
Mr. Gutierrez-Ochoa faces anywhere from 10-20 years behind bars if convicted of all charges.
El Mencho has continued to evade law enforcement after being indicted on multiple charges in 2022.
The State Department offered a $10 million reward for any information leading to the cartel leader’s arrest or conviction.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.