Despite News Reports, Rafael Caro Quintero Did Not Escape Cereso Prison

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat

As reported by Borderland Beat, a large-scale riot at the CERESO prison in Juarez, Mexico led to the execution deaths of 10 guards, and the killing of 4 inmates. It also resulted in the escape of 30 inmates. Gunmen had attacked a nearby police station prior to the prison riot and escape, as a planned diversion luring resources away from the prison. Gunmen then opened fire at the entrance of the prison while the inmates inside, having stashed weapons, cash and drugs inside of their "VIP" cells began their attack.

This isn't the first riot at the prison, with 11 killed in August of the past year in the prison and the surrounding area.

Several of the inmates were high-level within the Los Mexicles gang and its splinter group inside of the prison. The gang is allied with the Sinaloa Cartel and its subgroups. Others in the prison fall under the La Linea flag. Multiple splits and new alliances have taken place within the gangs and prison resulting in many clashes.

One of the escapees was their leader "El Neto," and his second-in-command, "El Chilin" was killed during the event. As news reports began to filter out of Mexico, outlining the events and those who had escaped; several US English news sites reported that one of the prisoners who escaped was Caro-Quintero.

Given the fact that RCQ has been held at the maximum-security federal prison Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1, also known as "Altiplano" since his transfer following his capture in Sinaloa last summer, these reports are clearly false. While the prison is located in the city of Almoloya de Juarez, it is located in the State of Mexico. Within Altiplano, RCQ claimed he has been subject to torture and isolation.

This prison has been the home of nearly all high-level cartel leaders arrested in Mexico including "El Chapo" and Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo. It was from this prison however that "El Chapo" escaped from in 2015.

If for some reason he had been transferred to a prison in Juarez, Chihuahua possibly in anticipation of his extradition to the United States; it would have been to a federal prison. Also, news reports coming from Mexico and the US government would have been much greater and confirmed this. Also, if he was to be extradited, that would have been reported recently as every court decision and Amparo filed has been reported on the matter.

Likely, the mistake stemmed from the interpretation of a statement issued by Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez. Rodriquez stated the escaped inmates were with the Los Mexicles gang, and she stated they're associated with the Caborca Cartel [Sinaloa Cartel]. That cartel had been led by Rafael Caro Quintero until his recent capture. Rodriquez stated the leader of the gang was among the fugitives and this likely caused the error in reporting.

ABC13 Houston/AP News has since changed the article title to "Gang Leader Freed in Mexico Prison Attack that Killed 17" after realizing their error. 

However, several other news outlets had picked up the story and have been reporting the false information.

Sources ABC 13, Borderland Beat, Wikipedia, Borderland Beat