A 54-year-old Sinaloa Cartel member pleaded guilty to a variety of narcotics offenses on Monday, police said.
Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero’s sentence is slated for February 2, according to a Wednesday notice from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Tapia-Quintero was a significant figure in the cartel from December 2006 to March 2012, organizing the transportation and distribution of massive amounts of drugs, including methamphetamine, from Mexico into the United States.
During this time, prosecutors allege that he assisted in concealing who controlled the proceeds from cocaine sales in Arizona. He oversaw the collecting of these proceeds, which were held in stash houses in Arizona and other areas.
According to authorities, couriers acting under his supervision returned much of the money to Mexico, where he and other Sinaloa Cartel members received it.
How much time could Sinaloa Cartel member spend in prison?
Tapia-Quintero pleaded guilty to the following particular charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine with intent to import into the U.S.
- Conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
The first charge carries a possible punishment of life in prison and/or a fine of $10 million. It also includes a supervised release period of at least five years and up to life.
The second accusation entails a possible penalty of up to $500,000, or twice the amount of laundered monies, as well as a 20-year prison sentence and three years of supervised release.
The Sinaloa cartel, named after its native state, is Mexico’s oldest and most powerful criminal organization. It is a network of elite drug lords known for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin into the United States.
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