Notable Figures: Los Paredes

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Los Paredes

OTHER NAMES: Los Pesados Apson

Los Paredes are a cartel organization operating primarily in north eastern Sonora on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel - Los Chapitos.

Los Paredes were a part of the original group of families recruited to aid the Sinaloa cartel in 2004-2005. During this time, the Beltran Leyva brothers were sent to Sonora by El Chapo in the hopes of expanding Sinaloa cartel's influence in the region. Other families recruited include Los Numeros, Los Jabalís, and Los Salazares. (Source)

Much of the following information is derived from information from Sonora Informativo, which was previously covered on Borderland Beat.

Agua Prieta 

This municipality is the most important territory the Los Paredes organization holds. It considered to be the "seat of power" for the Paredes empire. Many plaza bosses reportedly reside in Agua Prieta despite the territory they control being elsewhere in Sonora. 

Only verifiable photo of Tin Tin cuts off awkwardly below the mouth. 

 

Alleged Leader - Current
ALIAS: El Junior
NAME: Marco Antonio Paredes Ponce
OTHER ALIASES: El Marquitos

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: El Junior is the son Marco Antonio Paredes-Machado, who led the cartel until January 2011, when he was arrested. Some media have alleged that El Junior took control of Los Paredes shortly after his father's arrest. He is originally from the United States and he is believed to reside in Phoenix, Arizona. There are no current known US warrants for his arrest or indictments. (Source)

 

Day-to-Day Operations Leader

ALIAS: El Tin Tin

NAME: Martín Alonso Siqueiros Acuña

OTHER ALIASES: 9-12

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: Tin Tin receives direct orders from El Junior, who is the alleged leader of the cartel in name. However because El Junior is believed to live in the US, he is likely less involved and Tin Tin is believed to be far more involved in the leading of Los Paredes than El Junior. 

Tin Tin is originally from Hermosillo, Sonora and he is thought to currently reside in Agua Prieta municipality. (Source)

Tin Tin’s Second-in-Command, Head of Sicarios in Agua Prieta

ALIAS: El Delta

NAME: Jorge Alberto LaMadrid Carranza

OTHER ALIASES: Gordo

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: Jorge is currently believed to be the head of sicarios in Agua Prieta and Tin Tin's right hand man, second-in-command. Jorge hails from the LaMadrid family, a family which is heavily involved in drug trafficking for Los Paredes / the Sinaloa Cartel. (Source)

Jorge was arrested in Tucson, Arizona in September 2007 when he was just 26 years old, alongside his brother Edgar LaMadrid after attempting to flee the police. When deputies searched the LaMadrid home they found 11,000lbs of marijuana, making it one of the largest residential drug seizures in Tucson history. Jorge LaMadrid later admitted in court that he and his co-conspirators modified the home into a refrigerated storage and processing facility that used commercial industrial equipment. At this time, in 2007, Jorge was reportedly working for Arturo Elias Machado, who reported to Marco Antonio Paredes-Machado (El Junior's father). (Source)

Jorge LaMadrid pleaded guilty in court to conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and he was facing between 7-9 year sentence on these charges. There are few details on if and how much of this sentence was served. Jorge LaMadrid acknowledged that he, his father David, his uncle Saul, and other unnamed co-conspirators "bought and sold hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana for tens of millions of dollars." 

 

His father, David and uncle, Saul were reportedly murdered within Mexico around the same time of the US indictment. (Source)

 

 

Head of Human Smuggling for Los Paredes 

ALIAS: El Tigre

NAME: Leonel Toscano Cuevas

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Active 

PROFILE: In addition to working in drug trafficking, El Tigre reportedly leads Los Paredes's human smuggling operation along the US-Mexico border, with operations in Agua Prieta, Naco and San Luis Río Colorado. El Tigre is originally from Huachinera, Sonora. (Source)

 

Huasabas, Granados, Bacadéhuachi and Nacori Chico

These are regions along the Sonora-Chihuahua border that have seen conflict between La Linea and Los Paredes within the last few years.

Plaza Boss of Huasabas, Granados, Bacadéhuachi and Nacori Chico

ALIAS: El Pepe

NAME: José Martín Luy Sierra

OTHER ALIASES: Chino

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: El Pepe is originally from Hermosillo, Sonora and he is thought to currently reside in Agua Prieta municipality. He poses as a businessman and he has multiple companies dedicated to money laundering, one of them is believed to be AgroLuy Veterinary Supplies. (Source)

Bavispe, Bacerac, Huachinera 

Located on the state lines between Sonora and Chihuahua, these municipalities are bordering Janos and Casas Grandes which were controlled by La Linea in 2019, uncertain if they have been taken but it is known that Nuevo Casas Grandes remains a stronghold for La Linea, presenting an enemy close to El Pato's plazas. 

Head of Sicarios within Bavispe, Bacerac, Huachinera 

ALIAS: El Pato

NAME: David Rodríguez Guillén

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: El Pato is originally from Casas Grandes, Chihuahua and he is thought to currently reside in Huachinera, Sonora. El Pato is thought to directly report to Tin Tin. (Source)

Tin Tin is the owner of Bavispe, Bacerac and Huachinera municipalities and El Pato is believed to act on behalf of him within this area. (Source)

Cananea, Santa Cruz, Naco and San Pedro

These are some key regions right along the US-Mexico border, these are presumably valuable regions for trafficking purposes.  

The resolution on this image is abysmal.

Plaza Boss of Cananea, Santa Cruz, Naco and San Pedro

ALIAS: Güero Cano

NAME: Guadalupe Cano

OTHER ALIASES: 9-11

STATUS: Active 

 

PROFILE: He is thought to be the plaza boss of Cananea, Santa Cruz, Naco and San Pedro for Los Paredes. Güero Cano is originally from Hermosillo, Sonora and he is thought to currently reside in Cananea municipality. (Source)  

Fronteras and Nacozari

These areas are directly south of the Agua Prieta US Port of Entry and Agua Prieta municipality itself, which is considered to be a major stronghold for Los Paredes. 

Plaza Boss of Fronteras and Nacozari

ALIAS: El 21
NAME: Gabriel Inzunza Meza
OTHER ALIASES: El Gaby
STATUS: Active

 

PROFILE: The plaza boss of Fronteras and Nacozari for Los Paredes. He is thought to currently reside in Agua Prieta municipality. Possibly has a brother named Ramon also operates for Los Paredes. (Source) 

Sahuaripa, Arivechi and Yécora

Regions on the border of Chihuahua and Sonora state, these areas have been contested but the highly mountainous terrain lends itself to those familiar with the area. The history of Yécora municipality and the disputes related to it will be covered later.

Plaza Boss of Sahuaripa, Arivechi and Yécora

ALIAS: El Plumas
NAME: Elmer Guadalupe Córdova Torres
OTHER ALIASES: N/A
STATUS: Active

 

PROFILE: El Plumas is originally from Chihuahua and he is thought to currently reside in Agua Prieta, Sonora. He was a member of Los Salazar and joined Los Paredes at the time of the arrest of Alfredo Salazar Ramírez. (Source)

 

Villa Hidalgo, Divisaderos and Tepache

Plaza Boss of Villa Hidalgo, Divisaderos and Tepache

ALIAS: El Peter

NAME: Pedro Paredes Peru

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: El Peter is originally from Agua Prieta and he is believed to be the plaza boss of Villa Hidalgo, Divisaderos and Tepache. (Source)

 

Moctezuma and Arizpe 

These regions are far less volatile and experience less violence when compared with the municipalities along the Chihuahua border. 

 

Plaza Boss of Villa Hidalgo, Divisaderos and Tepache 

ALIAS: El Chito

NAME: Luis Ernesto Fimbres Fuentes

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Unknown

 

PROFILE: He is believed to be involved in the planting and harvesting of marijuana and poppy, as well as the transportation of drugs north, towards the border. Possibly has influence in Mesa Tres Rios, Nacori Chico even though it is the territory of fellow Los Paredes member El Pepe. He also is believed to have influence in Puerto Lobos. (Source)

 Los Jaguars 

OTHER NAMES: Gente Nueva del Jaguars, Gente Nueva del Jaguars y sus Lobos

This is an armed wing led by El Jaguar as well as El Jaguar's brother El Lobo (deceased) which operates primarily with the support of Los Paredes on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel Los Chapitos side.

Madera, Ignacio Zaragoza, Buenaventura

According to Proceso magazine, this area was once controlled by El Jaguar, but La Linea's El Ochenta took control of the area sometime prior to 2017. El Jaguar sought out the support of major CDS figures such as El Tio, the leader of Los Salazar and the leadership of Los Paredes. 

They agreed to support El Jaguar's efforts to retake Madera from La Linea. By 2018, El Ochenta's network of protection had been diminished enough that he was arrested. El Jaguar is believed to have retaken Madera and he had a strong presence in Zaragoza and Buenaventura in 2020. The most recent news out of Chihuahua indicates that La Linea has since reclaimed this area again. (Source) (Map will be updated)

Leader of Los Jaguars 

Plaza Boss of Madera  

ALIAS: El Jaguar

NAME: Francisco Javier Arvizu Márquez

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Active

PROFILE: El Jaguar is originally from Zaragoza, Chihuahua. He is believed to currently reside in Agua Prieta. El Jaguar’s group reportedly receives support from Sinaloa Cartel’s Gente del M100 in addition to his primary supporters, Los Paredes. (Source)

El Jaguar has four brothers: Marco Antonio, Oscar and Jose Luis (assassinated), all of whom allegedly acted as plaza bosses in areas within Madera, Ignacio Zaragoza and Gomez Farias municipality when Jaguar was in control of them.(Source)

 

Lieutenant of Los Jaguars

ALIAS: El Lobo
NAME: Jorge Luis Arvizu Márquez

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Inactive, killed April 2020 

 

PROFILE: El Lobo was originally from Madera municipality, in Chihuahua. He was the brother of El Jaguar and helped him lead Los Jaguars. He was arrested in February 2020 but then summarily released. He was killed alongside his son El Morito in April 2020 while traveling in northern Madera.(Source, Source)

Link To Full Sized Map

Other Notable Figures Articles

Sonora & Chihuahua

Notable Figures: La Linea Part I: Chihuahua 

Notable Figures: La Linea Part II: Sonora & Background

Notable Figures: Los Paredes

Notable Figures: Gente Nueva in Chihuahua

Notable Figures: Caborca Cartel 

Michoacán

Notable Figures: Carteles Unidos Part I

Notable Figures: Carteles Unidos Part II

Notable Figures: Carteles Unidos Part III

Notable Figures: CJNG in Michoacán