Rafael Cárdenas Vela
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Rafael Cárdenas Vela (a.k.a. ''El Junior'') is a former
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
drug lord A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin or narcotrafficker is a high-ranking crime boss who controls a sizable network of people involved in the illegal drug trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they are normally not directly ...
and high-ranking lieutenant of the Gulf Cartel. He is the nephew of
Antonio Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular male ...
and
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a Mexican drug lord and the former leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing Juan García Abrego's friend and compet ...
, two men who at one time led the criminal organization. Born and raised in
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
, Cárdenas Vela began his criminal career in the year 2000, where he served as the regional boss of the Gulf Cartel in
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
. During his time in power, he reportedly bribed and threatened local leaders and policemen in order allow the Gulf Cartel to introduce and move narcotics around the municipality freely. Nine years later, Cárdenas Vela was promoted by his superiors to the
Río Bravo, Tamaulipas (Together, we continue making history!) , image_skyline = Cuidad Rio Bravo paolaa meeza.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Rio Bravo City , image_flag = , image_seal = , ima ...
corridor, directly south across the U.S-Mexico border. In Río Bravo, he reportedly supervised cocaine and marijuana shipments heading to the United States and oversaw human smuggling rings. The death of his uncle Antonio in November 2010 created an internal division in the Gulf Cartel, but Cárdenas Vela managed to become the regional boss of the cartel in Matamoros in March 2011. Amid the turmoil, Cárdenas Vela began to have problems with the drug lord
Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez (born 1 August 1971), is a Mexican former drug lord and top leader of the criminal drug trafficking organization known as the Gulf Cartel. He was among Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. He joined the ranks of t ...
and his henchmen. Fearing for his own life, Cárdenas Vela fled to the state of Texas and managed the operatives of the cartel behind the scenes. But his career came to an end on 20 October 2011 when federal agents arrested him in
Port Isabel, Texas Port Isabel is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas. The population was 5,006 at the 2010 census. The city's name is given ...
. In the Gulf Cartel, Cárdenas Vela made more than $5 million and ensured that that money "went into the pockets of Mexican law enforcement officers as
bribes Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corru ...
," and had about "500 armed men at his beck and call."


Criminal career


Rise to power

Beginning in the year 2000, Cárdenas Vela spent several years as the drug boss of
San Fernando, Tamaulipas San Fernando is a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is about away from Brownsville, Texas, United States. The municipality has a population of 57,220, while the city itself has a population of 29,665. Massacre ...
, a city just 30 miles south of Matamoros and with an important drug corridor. As leader, the first thing he reportedly did was visit the city's mayor, police forces, newspapers, and media outlets to pay them off or made sure they understood that he was in charge. When it was time to move cocaine shipments, Cárdenas Vela notified the police and warned them not to get out of their headquarters until he called them back. Introducing cocaine through San Fernando, however, was a difficult task for the Gulf Cartel; due to the military checkpoint in the municipality, the cartel had to find its way in moving narcotics. If they could not get it through the checkpoints or surround the base by using dirt roads, aircraft would be used to bring cocaine in 500 kilograms per load. The planes would then arrive at strips the cartel made, and over ten men would unload the drugs and take them for storage in San Fernando, under the supervision of Cárdenas Vela. Once all the drugs were unloaded and in San Fernando, the drug bosses of the border cities would send their henchmen to pick up the loads in large armed convoys. The armed men reportedly made checkpoints throughout the highway to prevent any rival drug gangs to interrupt their operatives and to make sure the military did not get near. According to Cárdenas Vela, sometimes it took all day and night to count all of the drug loads. When the Gulf Cartel was sure that the highways were safe, they would move the drugs north to the border. By the year 2009, he became the gatekeeper of
Río Bravo, Tamaulipas (Together, we continue making history!) , image_skyline = Cuidad Rio Bravo paolaa meeza.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Rio Bravo City , image_flag = , image_seal = , ima ...
, a city that lies directly across the Mexico-United States border from
Donna, Texas Donna is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 16,797 at the 2020 census. History Donna is in southeastern Hidalgo County, east of McAllen, in territory that was granted to Lino Cabazos as part of the La Blanca la ...
a major smuggling route to the United States. Cárdenas Vela led the cartel in Río Bravo very similarly to how he managed the cartel operatives in San Fernando. However, given its geographical location, Río Bravo was much more violent than San Fernando. In Río Bravo, Cárdenas Vela's men smuggled marijuana across the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...
and trafficked cocaine through the international bridges. But to ensure that the cocaine was not intercepted, the cartel reportedly bribed U.S. Border Patrol agents in the bridges at Donna and
Progreso, Texas Progreso is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas. The population was 5,507 at the time of the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas. Geography Progreso is located at (26.0 ...
. Cárdenas Vela also controlled the human smuggling rings in the area and had them go across the Rio Grande, although separately from the marijuana traffickers. Half of the river was used to smuggle illegal aliens across the border, and the other half was used for marijuana traffickers. These two activities were never mixed, particularly because the U.S. Border Patrol agents catch immigrants much easier. After the death of his uncle,
Antonio Cárdenas Guillén Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén (5 March 1962 – 5 November 2010), commonly referred to by his alias Tony Tormenta ("Tony Storm"), was a Mexican drug lord and co-leader of the Gulf Cartel, a drug trafficking organization based in Tamau ...
(a.k.a. ''Tony Tormenta'') on 5 November 2010, infightings within the Gulf Cartel triggered, and Cárdenas Vela faced problems with
Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez (born 1 August 1971), is a Mexican former drug lord and top leader of the criminal drug trafficking organization known as the Gulf Cartel. He was among Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. He joined the ranks of t ...
(a.k.a. ''El Coss'') and other Gulf cartel members, who at one time worked along his uncle
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a Mexican drug lord and the former leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing Juan García Abrego's friend and compet ...
. In March 2011, Cárdenas Vela became the top drug baron in
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
, but fled to the
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to seek refuge from Costilla Sánchez. According to the U.S. authorities, he was also looking for safe haven in the United States because the rival cartel of
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
was tracking his whereabouts and wanted him dead. ''
La Jornada ''La Jornada'' (''The Working Day'') is one of Mexico City's leading daily newspapers. It was established in 1984 by Carlos Payán Velver. The current editor ''(directora general)'' is Carmen Lira Saade. ''La Jornada'' has presence in eight sta ...
'' reported on 26 October 2011 that Cárdenas Vela made several enemies within his own organization, as some cartel members grew jealous of the power he attained and of the fact that he sometimes hid in
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
while they "faced full-time heat in Mexico." Once on U.S. soil, Cárdenas Vela communicated with his subordinates through daily emails, and continued to control the drug transportation and distribution cells that trafficked cocaine and marijuana across the
Mexico–United States border The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...
. He had made more than $5 million throughout his eleven-year career as leader of the Gulf Cartel.


Arrest

On 20 October 2011, while heading to his luxury house in
South Padre Island, Texas South Padre Island is a resort town in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville– Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,066 at the 2020 census. The town is located on South Padre Island, a bar ...
with his bodyguards and an "attractive lady," Cárdenas Vela was pulled over in
Port Isabel, Texas Port Isabel is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas. The population was 5,006 at the 2010 census. The city's name is given ...
by the police at around 6:39 p.m. on
Texas State Highway 100 State Highway 100 (SH 100) is a Texas state highway that runs between "Russeltown" and Port Isabel. It was designated in 1926 along its current route. Its western terminus is at Interstate 69E/U.S. Highway 77/83 and ends at the western end of t ...
, who were reportedly working with federal agents that had been tipped to his whereabouts. Nonetheless, ''
The Brownsville Herald ''The Brownsville Herald'' is a newspaper based in Brownsville, Texas, circulating in the Cameron County area. Jesse O. Wheeler, a newspaperman from Victoria, purchased Brownsville's ''Cosmopolitan'' newspaper in 1892 and renamed it the ''Browns ...
'' stated that the police chief of Port Isabel claimed that Cárdenas Vela was pulled over due to a "routine traffic stop" because he "was speeding." Reportedly, the officer was unaware that Cárdenas Vela was a top drug baron in the Gulf Cartel. Cárdenas Vela was the passenger driver in a
Ford F-150 The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks marketed and manufactured by Ford since the 1948 model year. Slotted above the Ford Ranger in the Ford truck model range, the F-Series is marketed as a range of full-sized pickup trucks. ...
silver truck with temporary license plates, and was wearing pink shorts and loafers. When he was stopped, Cárdenas Vela presented a Mexican passport and a visa name with a false name. Once confronted with his true identity, he admitted to have traveled with another man's passport, and that for years he had trafficked cocaine and marijuana to the United States. The Mexican passport he was carrying (which was under the name of a supposed Pedro García González), along with his
visa Visa most commonly refers to: *Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Visa Plus, an interbank network *Travel visa, a document that allows ...
, were authentic documents. According to ''
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
'', Cárdenas Vela explicitly said that he was involved in "the transportation and importation of marijuana and cocaine into the United States for several years," and admitted to have sold five kilograms of
marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
in 2009 to people he knew were smuggling across the U.S. for further distribution. Moreover, he admitted to have crossed illegally into the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from Mexico before being caught by the authorities. Upon his arrest in Port Isabel, his cellphones and ledgers were confiscated by the authorities. A phone toll analysis proved his connectivity with several active and ongoing drug investigations and a ledger was also analyzed that indicated the personnel structure of the armed and unarmed individuals in the Gulf Cartel, as well as the purchase of firearms, protective equipment, automobiles and gasoline for these vehicles. No firearms, drugs, or high bulks of cash were found in his vehicle when he was taken into custody. Initial reports after his arrest stated that Cárdenas Vela had three houses in the Texan cities of Rio Hondo,
Port Isabel Port Isabel may refer to: Places *Port Isabel, Texas, USA; a city in Cameron County *Port Isabel, Sonora, Mexico; a former port (1864-1879) at the mouth of the Colorado River * Port Isabel Independent School District, Cameron County, Texas, USA *Po ...
, and Brownsville—all within 30 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. He confessed to have dozens of vehicles, a condominium in South Padre Island, and a collections of exotic animals in his house in Rio Hondo. But none of these properties he owned in the
Rio Grande Valley The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. The ...
were under his name. On 13 December 2011, '' The Monitor'' reported that the
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...
(ICE) was keeping track of Cárdenas Vela's location in South Texas before he was arrested, and deduced the drug lord's possible location at a ranch in Rio Hondo. When he left the ranch and headed towards South Padre Island on 20 October 2011, he was tracked down by the authorities; the ICE agency later confirmed that they had Port Isabel's police stop Cárdenas Vela on his way to the beach. Cárdenas Vela's arrest triggered a series of road blocks and gunfights in Valle Hermoso and
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
, the city in which he operated. By 27 October 2011, '' El Universal'' reported a total of 14 killings as a result of his arrest and of the Gulf Cartel infighting.


Context of arrest

Stratfor Strategic Forecasting Inc., commonly known as Stratfor, is an American geopolitics publisher and consultancy founded in 1996. Stratfor's business model is to provide individual and enterprise subscriptions to Stratfor Worldview, its online public ...
and the ''
San Antonio Express-News The ''San Antonio Express-News'' is a daily newspaper in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation and has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The ''Express-News'' is the third largest newspaper in the state of Texas, with ...
'' released a report on 3 November 2011 putting more context on the arrest of Cárdenas Vela in
South Texas South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 4.96 ...
. They mentioned that the drug lord must have been living tough times in his position because his uncle
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a Mexican drug lord and the former leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing Juan García Abrego's friend and compet ...
is believed to have cooperated with the U.S. authorities as a protected witness. Cárdenas Vela was believed to be part of
Los Rojos Los Rojos is a faction of a Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Gulf Cartel. The group was formed in the late 1990s during the reign of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the former leader of the cartel, to provide security to the organiza ...
, a faction of the Gulf cartel that is loyal to the Cárdenas family and headed by
Juan Mejía González ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
, alias ''El R1''. According to Stratfor, Los Rojos were under a power struggle with Los Metros, once headed by
Samuel Flores Borrego Samuel Flores Borrego (a.k.a. Metro 3; 6 August 1972 – 2 September 2011) was a Mexican drug lord and high-ranking lieutenant of the Gulf Cartel. He was a former state judicial policeman who protected the ex-leader of the Gulf cartel, Osiel Cà ...
(a.k.a. ''El Metro 3'') and now headed by
Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez (born 1 August 1971), is a Mexican former drug lord and top leader of the criminal drug trafficking organization known as the Gulf Cartel. He was among Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. He joined the ranks of t ...
. Below is a quote of the report: '' The Monitor'' reported on 27 October 2011 that a rescue attempt for Cárdenas Vela was very unlikely. Despite being a powerful leader in the Gulf Cartel, his rude actions "burned many bridges in the organization." A source outside law enforcement but with direct knowledge of the situation stated that Cárdenas Vela was "very hardheaded and impulsive," which made him have many enemies in the organization. "(Some of the) ''comandantes'' are glad he is gone," the source said. In addition, George W. Grayson, author and professor at
The College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III a ...
, that even though Cárdenas Vela was the plaza boss of Matamoros, the core network of the Gulf Cartel will remain untouched, since he was not part of the inner circle of the current syndicate boss,
Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez (born 1 August 1971), is a Mexican former drug lord and top leader of the criminal drug trafficking organization known as the Gulf Cartel. He was among Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. He joined the ranks of t ...
. On the other hand, Sylvia Longmire, a drug war analyst, said that Cárdenas Vela's blood relationship with
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a Mexican drug lord and the former leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing Juan García Abrego's friend and compet ...
and
Antonio Cárdenas Guillén Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén (5 March 1962 – 5 November 2010), commonly referred to by his alias Tony Tormenta ("Tony Storm"), was a Mexican drug lord and co-leader of the Gulf Cartel, a drug trafficking organization based in Tamau ...
, two former leaders in the Gulf Cartel, makes the arrest a significant event. While cartel members have been living in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
for years, their desire to not attract attention on U.S. soil means that their behavior is different than how they operate in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. According to '' The Monitor'', several drug lords have been living in the U.S. for years, but generally do not engage in any sort of violent behavior. The last thing they want to do is attract the attention of American law enforcement officers.


Court case


Indictment

On 18 November 2011, a federal Grand Jury in the city of
Brownsville, Texas Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...
indicted Cárdenas Vela for managing a drug trafficking ring, laundering money, and using false Visa documents. After the arrest, he made his first court appearance the following day, and was ordered held without bond for the charges that were pending. In an effort to conceal the drug distribution, Cárdenas Vela's organization utilized vehicles which had hidden compartments to conceal all kinds of drugs. In addition, the cartel members often encoded their oral and written descriptions, along with aliases and call signs, to avoid detection. His criminal organization then distributed narcotics across the United States, including but not limited to
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, Brownsville and
McAllen, Texas McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States, and the 22nd-most populous city in Texas. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley, on the Mexico–United States border. The city limits extend ...
. The indictment alleges that Cárdenas Vela paid law enforcement officers in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
for protection. He also reportedly helped oversee a network of "guardias" (guards) by keeping surveillance over the
Mexican Armed Forces The Mexican Armed Forces ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de México) are the military forces of the United Mexican States. The Spanish crown established a standing military in colonial Mexico in the eighteenth century. After Mexican independence in 1821, ...
, law enforcement officials, and rival drug cartels. Moreover, the
indictment An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a legal person, person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felony, felonies, the most serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use the felonies concep ...
states that firearms are often used during drug trafficking activities; "bullet proof vehicles, automatic weapons, grenades, homemade cannons and body armor" were reportedly purchased by Cárdenas Vela and other members of the Gulf Cartel to further their drug distribution. These weapons were allegedly used by him and other cartel members to fight off
Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
, a rival drug cartel that fights for territorial control. The indictment concluded by stating the following: According to the U.S. authorities, Cárdenas Vela agreed to cooperate with the federal agents, just as his uncle did, for a soother life sentence.


First appearance in court

Cárdenas Vela entered the courtroom handcuffed and with his attorneys C.J. Quintanilla and Roberto J. Yzaguirre on 21 October 2011 wearing "a messy blue shirt and khaki pants." In soft-spoken
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, he told Judge Hanen that he was born and raised in
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
, and only has a middle school education. The Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Young read a three-page document out loud from the plea agreement the drug lord had signed as factual, detailing the decade-long career Cárdenas Vela had in the Gulf Cartel. The documented stated that he had managed the distribution of cocaine and marijuana as the plaza boss in the Mexican cities of San Fernando, Río Bravo, and Matamoros. It was then stated that Cárdenas Vela had ousted José Luis Zúñiga, also known as ''Comandante Wicho'', to become the cartel boss of
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Br ...
. According to ''
The Houston Chronicle ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'', the court session was only available to those who were able to walk into the courthouse in
Brownsville, Texas Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...
or who had subscribed to an online federal document service.


Guilty plea

On 12 March 2012, Cárdenas Vela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine and marijuana in exchange for the government dropping
money laundering Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...
and immigration charges. With this plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend that his punishment come at the lower end of the scale. But they also said that they are preparing a forfeiture order to seize the assets Cárdenas Vela, including but not limited to all-terrain vehicles, wave-runners, and a loaded
Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over seven generations since 1966. The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version. The Charger has ...
. Moreover, Jerry Robinette, a special agent-in-charge for
ICE Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...
, said Cárdenas Vela's plea was a "successful result" of the local and federal authorities coordinating "to attack the command and control structure of the Gulf Cartel and to minimize its ability to use [the
Rio Grande Valley The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. The ...
] community as a safe haven." The two bodyguards that were with Cárdenas Vela during his arrest – Francisco Javier Escalante Jiménez and Germán Alejandro Huízar Marroquín – were sentenced in February 2012 for lying to federal agents about the identity of Cárdenas Vela during his arrest. In Spanish, Escalante Jiménez apologized to his family, while Huízar Marroquín addressed the court and asked for the "lowest sentence possible." The third man that was in the vehicle when Cárdenas Vela was pulled over by the police on 20 October 2011 declared his true identity to the agents and remains uncharged. In addition, sources outside of law enforcement stated that Huizar Marroquín was a member of the
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
State Police. That same month, Judge Hanen put down the sentence the body guards had served. The federal court judge Andrew S. Hanen said Cárdenas Vela's sentencing is projected for 18 June 2012.


Sentence

On 17 November 2014, Cárdenas Vela was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was ordered to pay a US$100,000 fine by U.S. District Court Judge
Andrew Hanen Andrew Scott Hanen (born December 10, 1953) is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Early life and education Hanen was born on December ...
. The sentence had previously included a forfeit of US$5 million in cash and a property in Brownsville, Texas. The drug lord admitted to smuggling large shipments of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico to the U.S. while working for the Gulf Cartel. Court records showed that Cárdenas Vela was facing life in prison. However, given his plea deal, his sentence was reduced in exchange for his cooperation with law enforcement. Part of the deal was that he had to describe the inner workings of the Gulf Cartel for federal agents.


Family and personal life

Cárdenas Vela is the nephew of Osiel and
Antonio Cárdenas Guillén Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén (5 March 1962 – 5 November 2010), commonly referred to by his alias Tony Tormenta ("Tony Storm"), was a Mexican drug lord and co-leader of the Gulf Cartel, a drug trafficking organization based in Tamau ...
, two former leaders of the Gulf Cartel. He was known in the Gulf Cartel by his aliases: "El Junior," "El Comandante 900," and "El Rolex."


References


External links


Gulf Cartel Plaza Boss Pleads Guilty in US Court
– InSight Crime
Dispatch: Implications of a Mexican Drug Lord's Capture
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Stratfor Strategic Forecasting Inc., commonly known as Stratfor, is an American geopolitics publisher and consultancy founded in 1996. Stratfor's business model is to provide individual and enterprise subscriptions to Stratfor Worldview, its online public ...
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Gulf Cartel "Plaza Boss" indicted for drug smuggling, money laundering and document fraud
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cardenas Vela, Rafael Year of birth missing (living people) Gulf Cartel members People from Matamoros, Tamaulipas Living people People of the Mexican Drug War Mexican crime bosses Mexican prisoners and detainees Mexican people imprisoned abroad Mexican money launderers