US judge sentences 10 in cocaine trafficking ring linked to Mexican cartel

A federal judge in South Florida has handed down sentences of up to 15 years and eight months to ten members of a drug trafficking ring. The group was responsible for distributing cocaine supplied by a Mexican cartel throughout the region. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida announced the convictions, detailing the operation that spanned at least from September 2024 to September 2025.

The most severe sentence, 15 years and eight months, was given to 63-year-old Reinaldo Fernández, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. Seven other defendants also admitted to the same charge. Among them was Javier García-Mora, a 40-year-old Mexican national allegedly sent by the cartel to oversee its interests in South Florida; he received a five-year sentence.

During the investigation, law enforcement officials seized more than $450,000 in cash derived from cocaine sales. The network involved drivers who transported drugs and money across the country, while others managed the buying and selling of cocaine within South Florida. While ten individuals have been sentenced, three other defendants in the same case remain fugitives. Federal prosecutor Reding Quiñones affirmed that "Mexican cartels will not settle in South Florida."

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Los carteles mexicanos no van a asentarse en el sur de Florida