A 44-year-old man, alleged to be a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was extradited from Mexico to San Diego to face federal drug trafficking charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Octavio Leal-Hernandez, from Tijuana, is accused of trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Mexico into the United States.
Leal-Hernandez landed on U.S. soil Wednesday, Jan. 22. During an initial appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court, he pleaded not guilty to two drug distribution conspiracy charges.
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Mexican authorities captured the alleged cartel faction leader in February 2020 following a shootout between police and cartel members. He has been in custody, awaiting extradition to the U.S., since then.
Prosecutors cited wiretap evidence in court filings, claiming that Leal-Hernandez was responsible for supplying U.S. drug distributors and that he used violence to protect his trafficking operations.
The Justice Department says Leal-Hernandez oversaw the collection of large shipments of illicit drugs, directed members to store the drugs in stash houses, and transported them to distributors and customers across California and the U.S.
“This appearance in an American court is the result of our unwavering pursuit of those who perpetuate violence and push narcotics into our communities,” U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement. “We will hold traffickers accountable, no matter how long it takes.”
A judge ordered Leal-Hernandez to remain in custody without bond following Thursday’s hearing in San Diego.
AN ALLEGED SINALOA CARTEL LEADER WAS EXTRADITED FROM MEXICO TO SAN DIEGO, ACCORDING TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, TO FACE FEDERAL DRUG CRIME CHARGES.
OCTAVIO LEAL-HERNANDEZ IS 44 YEARS OLD FROM TIJUANA AND ACCUSED OF BRINGING SHIPMENTS OF METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE, HEROIN, AND MARIJUANA FROM MEXICO TO THE UNITED STATES.
HE LANDED ON US SOIL WEDNESDAY AND DURING AN INITIAL APPEARANCE THURSDAY IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT — LEAL-HERNANDEZ PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO TWO DRUG DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY CHARGES.
THE ALLEGED CARTEL FACTION LEADER WAS CAPTURED BY MEXICAN AUTHORITIES IN FEBRUARY 2020 AFTER A SHOOTOUT BETWEEN POLICE AND CARTEL MEMBERS – AND HAS BEEN BEHIND BARS, WAITING EXTRADITION TO THE US, SINCE THEN.
IN COURT FILINGS, PROSECUTORS CITED WIRETAP EVIDENCE CLAIMING LEAL-HERNANDEZ WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPLYING U.S. DRUG DISTRIBUTORS AND USED VIOLENCE TO SUPPORT HIS TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS HE OVERSAW THE COLLECTION OF LARGE SHIPMENTS OF ILLICIT DRUGS – AND INSTRUCTED MEMBERS TO HANDLE THE LOGISTICS OF STORING THE DRUGS IN STASH HOUSES AND TRANSPORTING THEM TO DISTRIBUTORS AND CUSTOMERS ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND THE U.S.
“THIS APPEARANCE IN AN AMERICAN COURT IS THE RESULT OF OUR UNWAVERING PURSUIT OF THOSE WHO PERPETUATE VIOLENCE AND PUSH NARCOTICS INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. WE WILL HOLD TRAFFICKERS ACCOUNTABLE, NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES,” U.S. ATTORNEY TARA MCGRATH SAID IN A STATEMENT.
A JUDGE ORDERED LEAL-HERNANDEZ TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY WITHOUT BOND FOLLOWING THURSDAY’S HEARING IN SAN DIEGO.
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