Brother of slain cartel leader "El Mencho" pleads guilty to U.S. drug charges

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, whose brother led Mexico's powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), pleaded guilty Friday in Washington to charges of conspiring to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States. Federal prosecutors stated that Cervantes worked alongside his brother, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," who was killed by the Mexican army in February.

El Mencho's death triggered widespread unrest across Mexico, with cartel members blocking highways and setting fires in 20 states, resulting in over 70 deaths, including 25 National Guard members. The CJNG, co-founded by El Mencho, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration last year.

Cervantes, 67, of Michoacán, Mexico, faces a minimum of 15 years in prison. He is accused of distributing substantial quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from at least January 1998 to December 2022. In addition to the conspiracy charge, he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was transferred from Mexico to the U.S. in February 2025 for prosecution. The U.S. recently imposed sanctions on over 50 individuals and entities linked to the CJNG.