By Roberto Bustamante
Four members of a family, all linked to the Sinaloa Cartelwere arrested by federal agents and formally charged with 29 counts of trafficking large quantities of drugs and firearms.
The United States Department of Justice announced that those detained are: José Luis Salazar-Cruz44, of Lancaster; Alfonso Salazar46, of Lancaster; Jorge Humberto Salazar43, of Hesperia, and Jose Manuel Salazar22, of Lancaster.
Through a press release it was reported that José Luis, Alfonso and Jorge are brothers, while José Manuel is the son of José Luis.
Additionally, a fifth man, José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock, remains at large.
The Justice Department explained that the five co-defendants face one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to engage in the business of selling firearms without a license, and engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license.
According to the accusation, Salazar-Cruz was the ringleader of the operationusing various media and in-person meetings to coordinate the sale of narcotics and firearms between February 2024 and December 2025.
“The other defendants brokered the sale of drugs and firearms between suppliers and customers, and met with the latter to sell drugs,” the Justice Department stated. “Multiple drug sales were made, often of approximately half a kilo of methamphetamine.”.
If convicted as charged, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case is part of the federal government’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that, according to the Department of Justice, seeks to “repel the encroachment of illegal immigration, achieve the entire elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crimes.”
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