CJNG Trafficker Arrested in Panama Sentenced to 27 Years in US Prison

"Anonymous" for Borderland Beat

The case involving Homero Guerra Moreno is handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas

A 48-year-old Mexican citizen has been sentenced after being found guilty of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Homero Guerra-Moreno pleaded guilty on December 6, 2022. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo handed down a 27-year prison term for Guerra-Moreno.

Since he is not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to undergo removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

During the hearing, the court received additional evidence that detailed Guerra-Moreno's involvement in transporting and distributing hundreds of kilograms of crystal meth from Mexico into the United States on a monthly basis from 2013 to 2018.

“Today we dealt a blow to the Mexican cartels. Guerra Moreno trafficked drugs into local communities like Laredo, Texas, for years, trafficking about 15,000 kilograms of meth for the CJNG, a ruthless Mexican cartel,” said Hamdani. “He tried to run and hide abroad, but the prosecutors and investigators of the Southern district of Texas are relentless; law enforcement located and detained him before he could escape. Guerra-Moreno’s capture and sentence sends a message to those who work with the cartels, you can run, but you cannot hide.”

“Reaching the source of supply is crucial in stopping the flow of devastating drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Houston Division. “The exemplary collective and persistent efforts between DEA and its federal partners brought down one of CJNG’s most significant meth source of suppliers in South Texas."

The investigation uncovered an intricate conspiracy dating back to 2014. Guerra-Moreno was identified by authorities as the main source of supply for various drug trafficking organizations, funneling "ice" methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States.

Guerra-Moreno operated in collaboration with the CJNG and personally recruited traffickers to transport methamphetamine into Laredo. Despite residing in Mexico, he managed to evade capture for an extended period. However, on May 26, 2022, law enforcement apprehended Guerra-Moreno at Tocuman International Airport in Panama as he was attempting to leave for Mexico. He was subsequently deported to Texas to face conspiracy charges.

Guerra-Moreno will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, the location of which will be determined soon.

This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation was conducted by the DEA in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, Laredo Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Georgia State Patrol, U.S. Embassy Panama City, Panama Immigration, Panama National Police Interpol Unit, and the Panamanian government.

Sources: USDOJ; KXAN