Sinaloa Cartel Drug Transporter Pleads Guilty to International Drug Trafficking

Juan Hernandez Ochoa, 51, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States.

According to court documents, Hernandez Ochoa worked from 2015 to 2017 as a distributor and transporter for various drug traffickers affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel. Hernandez Ochoa employed a network of associates to transport marijuana and methamphetamine from Mexican border towns into the United States using private planes, human couriers, tunnels, semi-trailer trucks, and vehicles with hidden compartments. He also coordinated the transportation of cash for the purchase of drugs and its repatriation from the U.S. following their sale. Hernandez Ochoa pleaded guilty to moving hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of pounds of marijuana from Mexico to the United States.

“Juan Hernandez Ochoa will no longer be able to enrich himself by pushing poison into our communities thanks to the prosecutors involved in this case and the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea is another major blow to the Sinaloa Cartel and the transnational criminal organizations that profit from addiction, violence, and death. Our message is simple: we will not stop until these cartels are dismantled and their leaders are brought to justice.”

“Combating violent crime, disrupting drug trafficking organizations, and holding accountable dangerous individuals like Mr. Hernandez Ochoa remains a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of FBI Phoenix. “This investigation highlights the mission of the HSTF, which includes targeting leaders from transnational criminal organizations and dismantling drug trafficking networks, wherever they operate. We will continue to work with our partners to produce real and impactful results for our communities.”