A member of the Sinaloa Cartel, who trafficked drugs and laundered money, was recently given over 15 years in prison for his role in bringing drugs into America and then taking funds back to Mexico, according to the United States Department of Justice.
Roberto Gallegos-Lechuga, 39, of Sinaloa was given 188 months in prison for overseeing the running of multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico into ports of entry in Southern California, according to a news release.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said that they would spare no expense when it came to convicting alleged drug traffickers.
“We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who export dangerous narcotics to the United States and finance those activities through money laundering. I want to thank the Government of Mexico for extraditing Gallegos-Lechuga to the United States,” Polite said. “Through such partnerships, we will continue to work to dismantle dangerous drug cartels.
The Department of Justice reported that Lechuga was extradited from Mexico in March 2020 and he proceeded to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit international money laundering in July of 2021.
In addition to Lechuga, 27 other people who participated in distributing and facilitating the contraband entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced in related cases, according to a news release.
