In a significant development in the ongoing fight against transnational organized crime, the coordinated efforts of U.S. law enforcement have led to a substantial sentence for a major player in the international drug-trafficking scene. Nelson Alexander Flores, a Tijuana man deeply involved with the notorious MS-13 and Mexican Mafia gangs, has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison following his guilty plea to methamphetamine trafficking, according to NBC San Diego.
Flores admitted to his role in supplying others with large quantities of methamphetamine from "various sources in Mexico," which was subsequently distributed throughout the United States. Prosecutors revealed that Flores was responsible for moving "50 to 60 kilos a month" of methamphetamine and cocaine, contributing to the violent drug trade perpetrated by international street and prison gangs. "He imported these drugs into San Diego from Mexico, before they were sent to poison other communities throughout the United States," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden.
But drug trafficking is not the extent of Flores' nefarious activity. As part of an MS-13 RICO case, to which he also pleaded guilty, he conspired with MS-13 members to extort people "using threats of violence and death towards the victims and their family members," revealed the Imperial Valley Press. During these calls, Flores demanded cash from his victims, amassing a total of $4,500, which was utilized to fund MS-13's operations both in El Salvador and the United States. His criminal actions resulted in a five-year federal sentence in a separate Ohio case.
This successful prosecution is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), both collaborative efforts involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI; DEA; ATF; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Director of JTFV John Durham, acknowledging the pivotal role played by Flores in drug operations, "his conviction and sentence mark a significant disruption. JTFV and our law enforcement partners will continue to work relentlessly to protect our communities from the plague of transnational organized crime."
