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WASHINGTON — The son of a notorious Mexican cartel leader has been sentenced to life in prison for playing a key role in operating one of the country’s most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations.
Rubén Oseguera, known as El Menchito, is the son of fugitive Nemesio Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). For seven years, Rubén served as the cartel’s second-in-command before being extradited to the U.S. in February 2020.
At his sentencing in Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell handed down a life sentence, rejecting his defense attorney’s request for the minimum 40-year term. The lawyer had argued that Oseguera had been recruited into the cartel at just 14 years old.
“You weren’t a child when you committed these crimes, and you won’t be sentenced as one,” Judge Howell stated.
Prosecutors revealed that Oseguera was directly responsible for ordering the killings of at least 100 people, personally executing at least six, and orchestrating an attack that brought down a Mexican military helicopter in May 2015, killing nine soldiers.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Oseguera’s role in CJNG’s operations, stating:
“This defendant helped turn the Jalisco New Generation Cartel into a ruthless terrorist organization that floods our streets with deadly drugs and carries out horrific violence.”
In addition to his prison sentence, Oseguera was ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in cartel drug proceeds.
Before the sentencing, Oseguera chose not to speak in court. After a brief conversation with his attorney, he was escorted out of the courtroom.
Judge Howell described him as a “drug kingpin,” emphasizing the severity of his crimes:
“Your criminal actions are among the most serious that our drug laws are designed to punish.”
A federal jury convicted Oseguera in September of conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for U.S. importation and using a firearm in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Prosecutor Jonathan Hornok labeled him a “mass murderer”, urging the court to impose two life sentences—one for each conviction.
Among the shocking acts detailed in court, prosecutors said that in 2015, Oseguera personally executed five bound men by slashing their throats over an unpaid debt, then casually requested a clean shirt. Days later, he shot and killed one of his drivers for failing to repark a vehicle quickly enough.
The 2015 helicopter attack was an attempt to evade capture as Mexican forces pursued Oseguera and his father. While Oseguera Jr. is now behind bars, his father remains at large, with a $15 million reward offered for information leading to his arrest.
Jurors heard testimony that Oseguera was personally responsible for trafficking cocaine and manufacturing methamphetamine, generating over $12 billion in drug revenue.
“This is, without question, one of the most severe drug crimes in history,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Oseguera initially considered a plea deal but ultimately chose to stand trial.
His defense attorney, Anthony Colombo, argued that his client had been shaped by a violent and corrupt upbringing.
“Mr. Oseguera is as much a victim of his environment as he is a product of it,” Colombo wrote.
