A cell leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel was arraigned in
federal court today following his self-surrender to U.S. law enforcement
authorities at the Calexico West Port of Entry in California, on July 27.
Damaso Lopez-Serrano, aka Mini Lic, 29, is believed to be
the highest-ranking Mexican cartel leader ever to self-surrender in the
U.S. Lopez-Serrano was arraigned on an
indictment returned by a federal grand jury in San Diego on Aug. 19, 2016,
charging him and five of his close associates, including Nahum
Sicairos-Montalvo, aka Kinceanero, with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled
Substances Intended for Importation and Conspiracy to Import Controlled
Substances. U.S. District Court Judge
Dana M. Sabraw arraigned Lopez-Serrano on these charges and unsealed the
indictment against these two defendants.
The announcement was made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions,
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s
Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson for the Southern
District of California and Special Agent in Charge William R. Sherman of the
Drug Enforcement Administration’s San Diego Field Office.
The U.S. also announced today the unsealing of an additional
indictment returned Dec. 14, 2016, in the Eastern District of Virginia by the
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Criminal
Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section charging father and son, Damaso
Lopez Nunez and Damaso Lopez Serrano, respectively, with Conspiracy to Distribute
Controlled Substances Intended for Importation.
Damaso Lopez Nunez was arrested by Mexican authorities on May 2, and the
U.S. is in the process of seeking his extradition on the December 14
indictment. Lopez Serrano will be
arraigned on this indictment at a future date.
“At a time when more Americans than ever are dying from drug
overdoses, the Department of Justice has made it a top priority to target the
Mexican Cartel leaders responsible for the dangerous drugs that poison our
families,” said Attorney General Sessions.
“We will continue to go after these cartel leaders in order to dismantle
their organizations from top to bottom, and today’s announcement should send
them a clear message: you can turn yourselves in the easy way, or we will find
you and bring you to justice the hard way.
No matter what, you will face the consequences.”
The Southern District of California indictment unsealed
today marks the conclusion of the fourth phase of a five-year OCDETF
investigation Operation Narco Polo that, in total, has resulted in charges
against over 125 people and has had a significant impact on the worldwide
operations of the Sinaloa Cartel.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been
committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond
a reasonable doubt.
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