'El Mencho's' brother pleads guilty to drug trafficking in the US, faces life in prison
The defendant, a 67-year-old native of Michoacán, also known as Tony Montana,admitted to two charges: conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, and the use, carrying, and possession of weapons in furtherance of that conspiracy.
Graffiti of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. File photo
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of the late leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), pleaded guilty on Friday to drug trafficking and weapons possession charges in a U.S. court, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The defendant, a 67-year-old native of Michoacán also known as Tony Montana, admitted responsibility for two crimes: conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, and the use, carrying, and possession of weapons in furtherance of that conspiracy.
A long-time player
According to AFP, Oseguera Cervantes was linked to Mexican organized crime for more than two decades. He was first a member of the Cártel del Milenio, from approximately 2002 to 2010. He later joined the operations of his brother, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, who co-founded the CJNG and turned it into one of Mexico's most powerful and violent criminal organizations.
According to the DOJ, Oseguera Cervantes played a key role within the CJNG: he was responsible for organizing the supply of chemical precursors for the cartel's methamphetamine labs and for collecting money coming in from the U.S.
The death of 'El Mencho' and the arrest of his brother
Antonio Oseguera had been arrested in late December 2022. He was extradited to the United States in February 2025. His sentence will be handed down on November 13. According to the Department of Justice, he could face up to two consecutive life sentences.
With this guilty plea, the U.S. justice system closes yet another chapter in its pursuit of the CJNG leadership, one of the organizations that has had the greatest impact on drug trafficking to the United States over the past decade.
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