The son of a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a vast drug trafficking conspiracy, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
Rubén Oseguera, known as El Menchito, served as the second-in-command of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, CJNG, for seven years before his extradition to the United States in 2020. He is the son of Nemesio Oseguera, the cartel’s elusive leader, who remains a fugitive with a 15 million dollar reward for his capture.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Oseguera, 35, to life in prison on Friday in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors had sought two life sentences, citing his extensive involvement in violent crimes and international drug trafficking.
Oseguera was convicted in September on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the U.S. and using firearms in a drug conspiracy. The court also ordered him to forfeit more than 6 billion dollars in cartel drug proceeds.
His defense team requested a 40-year sentence, arguing that he was only 14 years old when recruited into his family’s cartel operations. The judge rejected this argument.
“You weren’t a child when you were committing all these crimes, and you won’t be sentenced as a child here,” Howell said during sentencing.
Prosecutors detailed Oseguera’s direct involvement in extreme cartel violence, including ordering at least 100 killings and personally executing at least six people.
In May 2015, Oseguera allegedly ordered cartel gunmen to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter, killing nine soldiers. Prosecutors also presented evidence that he slashed the throats of five bound men over an unpaid debt and later shot one of his own drivers for failing to repark a vehicle quickly.
Federal officials described CJNG as one of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations, responsible for trafficking billions of dollars in illicit drugs into the United States.
“This defendant helped build Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación into a brutal terrorist organization that pumps poison onto our streets and commits horrific acts of violence,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
During sentencing, Oseguera declined to speak in court. After a brief exchange with his attorney, he was led out of the courtroom.
Judge Howell called Oseguera a drug kingpin, stating that his crimes rank among the most severe violations of U.S. drug laws.
“Simply put, this is a historically severe drug offense,” prosecutors wrote in court filings.
Oseguera initially signed a plea agreement with the U.S. government but later chose to stand trial, a decision that ultimately resulted in his life sentence.
Authorities continue the international manhunt for Nemesio Oseguera, also known as El Mencho, who remains one of the most wanted criminals in the world. The U.S. State Department is offering a 15 million dollar reward for information leading to his capture and conviction.
CJNG remains a top target for U.S. and Mexican law enforcement, with the Justice Department vowing to crack down on cartel leaders and drug trafficking networks.
