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4w ago

U.S. Sentences ‘El Chelelo,’ Los Zetas Plaza Boss, to More Than 31 Years and Orders $26.5 Million Forfeiture

Prosecutors say the longtime plaza boss used extreme violence to dominate Texas-bound trafficking routes.

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Overview

  • A U.S. federal court imposed a prison term exceeding 31 years after his March 2025 guilty plea to a drug-conspiracy charge.
  • The sentence includes forfeiture of up to $26.5 million tied to trafficking proceeds, according to the Justice Department.
  • Authorities describe him as Monterrey’s plaza boss in 2006–2007 who directed dozens of hitmen and operators to secure routes.
  • DOJ attributes to him control over corridors that moved more than 3,000 tons of cocaine and marijuana toward Texas over several years.
  • He was extradited from Mexico in July 2023 following a DEA-led investigation focused on Houston and crossings at Brownsville, Laredo, and McAllen.