Jair Francisco Patron Tobias, a Mexican citizen also known as “Crixus,” “Junior,” and “Gannicus,” was arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on charges of participating in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy and using firearms in connection with those offenses. Patron Tobias was transferred from Mexico to the United States on January 20, 2026, following his arrest on a provisional warrant issued by the Eastern District of New York. The arraignment took place before U.S. Magistrate Judge James R. Cho, who ordered him detained pending trial.
Patron Tobias is one of 37 Mexican nationals recently transferred to the United States to face various federal criminal charges across the country.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino, III, Associate Chief of Operations at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northeast Region; and Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge at DEA Los Angeles Field Division announced the arraignment.
“As alleged in the indictment and court filings, the defendant was one of the lead drug distributors for a vicious cartel responsible for sending massive quantities of dangerous drugs into the United States,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arraignment in a U.S. courtroom is the first step in holding him accountable for his serious crimes and the immense harm that he has caused. Our Office is working with federal and international partners to dismantle drug cartels and prosecute high-level drug traffickers responsible for flooding our country with dangerous drugs that leave death in their wake.”
Nocella expressed gratitude to DEA offices in Mexico City and New York, along with several U.S. agencies and the Government of Mexico for their assistance.
“Once again we see the power of collaboration between our DEA’s offices, the HSTF, and our law enforcement partners in holding accountable those who traffic illicit narcotics while using violence, intimidation, and fear as a means to push their poison into American communities” stated DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Tarentino. “The DEA is committed to targeting those drug trafficking organizations and individuals, like Jair Francisco Patron Tobias, who are responsible for causing the most harm. This is the DEA’s focus, both here and abroad, and we will continue this fight until we have a drug-free America.”
“In recent years and through today, our country has suffered one of the biggest and most destructive drug crisis ever imagined. DEA is tackling this problem head on, and with urgency. Working in conjunction with national and international partners, we are intent on dismantling these violent global drug networks. They unleash poison onto our streets, lining their pockets with no regard to human suffering. Make no mistake, the heads of these drug emporiums will be held accountable. Today’s indictment of an alleged narcotics kingpin is just one example of more to come,” stated DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Chrysanthis.
According to court documents cited by prosecutors from https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny , Patron Tobias was a lead distributor for the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization (H-2 DTO), which operated out of Nayarit and Sinaloa states in Mexico under previous leadership by his father Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez (“H-2”) until 2017 when he was killed; leadership then passed to his uncle Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez.
The H-2 DTO established multiple distribution cells throughout major cities including New York—one jurisdiction covered by https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny —as well as Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Ohio; Minnesota; North Carolina; distributing hundreds of kilograms per month each of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine plus thousands more kilograms marijuana between January 2013-February 2017 according to estimates from authorities.
Between June 2013–December 2016 specifically named by prosecutors at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny , Patron Tobias allegedly directed shipments from Mexico across these regions including Eastern District New York while also coordinating money laundering activities returning proceeds back into Mexico—all actions supported through use or threat physical violence or firearms aimed at rivals or maintaining territory control.
This case forms part Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative—created under Executive Order 14159—targeting elimination criminal cartels operating within/outside US borders via interagency cooperation described by officials associated with https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny . The indictment notes emphasis not only prosecuting but removing violent foreign criminals when possible.
Charges remain allegations: if convicted he faces up-to life imprisonment according statement from prosecution team International Narcotics & Money Laundering Section led by Assistant US Attorneys Nomi D Berenson; Raffaela S Belizaire; Andrew D Wang—all based out offices serving district such as Brooklyn/Islip per https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny .
Patron Tobias is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
