In a case that highlights the intertwined dangers of drug trafficking and arms smuggling, a former Mexican police officer has been sentenced to 25 years in a federal prison in El Paso, Texas. Rene Hernandez-Cordero, a known member of the CJNG cartel, was convicted for his role in a cross-border conspiracy that included methamphetamine distribution and the trafficking of firearms, according to a release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Court documents reveal that Hernandez-Cordero was deeply involved with an organization responsible for the smuggling of firearms into Mexico and methamphetamine into the United States. The evidence presented at trial showed that between August 2022 and August 2023, the group managed to successfully smuggle to inevitably distribute hundreds of firearms, including 20 AK-47 type rifles and two Barrett .50 caliber rifles. An August 2023 meeting in El Paso set the stage for an exchange intended to bolster their arms cache further.
Complicit in these illegal operations was Jesus Gerardo Ramos of El Paso, who has pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms. His sentencing is set for September 26. Also wrapped up in the affair is Brian Alexis Munoz Castro, another El Paso resident, who has admitted guilt to trafficking in firearms and a drug distribution conspiracy, with his sentencing to follow on October 23. A third associate, Maria Del Rosario Navarro Sanchez, remains at large, facing charges for her alleged involvement in the narcotics and arms trafficking scheme.
The announcement of these sentences comes from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas, Jaime Esparza. According to testimony, the members of the smuggling ring were key players in a larger battle against organized crime. The successful prosecution is a testament to the multi-agency effort, including agents from the DEA, FBI, IRS-CI, and others, working as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces El Paso/Las Cruces Strike Force, which functions to specifically combat complex drug and weapon trafficking operations.
This case, directed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Holderfield from Customs and Border Protection Office of Chief Counsel, underscores the federal commitment to dismantling the intricate webs of crime that span borders.
