Erick Valencia Salazar, co-founder of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to conspiracy to distribute cocaine into the United States. Known as 'El 85', he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment after changing his plea from not guilty, according to multiple reports.
Key Takeaways
The co-founder of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Erick Valencia Salazar, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for conspiring to distribute cocaine into the United States.
- CJNG co-founder pleads guilty to federal narcotics conspiracy charge
- Faces mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 10 years and maximum life imprisonment
- Sentencing scheduled for July 31 in Washington D.C.
- Formed CJNG with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho'
- U.S. designated CJNG a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) last year
The sentencing is scheduled for July 31 before Chief Judge James Boasberg in Washington D.C., per CBS News. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that Valencia Salazar helped build CJNG into a violent organization responsible for flooding the United States with drugs and using violence to control territories in Mexico.
Valencia Salazar, 49, was extradited to the United States from Mexico in February 2025 as part of an initial group of 29 drug lords. He was initially detained by Mexican authorities in 2012 but released due to alleged procedural flaws before being recaptured in 2022. The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
The CJNG, co-founded with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho', is one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug cartels. Last year, President Donald Trump's administration designated the CJNG a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), citing threats to U.S. safety and international stability in the Western Hemisphere.
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