Monica Dominguez Torres, identified as the leader of a multi-million dollar international drug trafficking and money laundering operation, pleaded guilty to federal charges on Friday last week. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, she was arrested in February 2024 during a nationwide investigation known as Operation Take Back America, which targets transnational criminal organizations.
Torres orchestrated a scheme that involved converting liquid methamphetamine into crystal form for distribution in the Atlanta area and laundering the proceeds back to Mexico. Authorities seized over $3.5 million in drug-related funds during the investigation. At the time of her arrest, agents found more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles at her residence.
The investigation revealed that Torres and her associates purchased luxury items and properties, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia, to conceal the origins of their illicit wealth. They also laundered drug proceeds through a money service business in Norcross, Georgia, transferring funds to Mexico in small increments to avoid detection.(legalnewsline.com)
Torres faces a potential sentence of at least 10 years in prison for drug trafficking and up to 20 years for money laundering, with additional fines and supervised release. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 15.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, a multi-agency effort involving the DEA, IRS, FBI, and other agencies to dismantle high-priority criminal organizations in the Atlanta region.
