Jose Maria Guizar-Valencia, Z-43, One of the Last Los Zetas Leaders Pleads Guilty in US

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

A former high-ranking member of the Los Zetas cartel has entered a guilty plea to a conspiracy to import tons of cocaine into the United States.

Jose Maria Guizar-Valencia, "Z-43", originally of Tulare, California, is considered one of the last numbered Los Zetas and was a regional leader in charge of the Guatemala/Central America region.

In 2012, law enforcement began an investigation into the illegal drug trafficking activities of the Los Zetas. At the time, they were a Mexican-based drug cartel in control of much of the Mexico/US border including the Texas corridor.

The investigation revealed Los Zetas had expanded their control of the drug trade to Central and South America. This enabled them to control the importation of drugs from countries including Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia into the Republic of Mexico and then into the United States.

The investigation revealed that from 2007 to 2014, Guizar-Valencia was responsible for controlling a large portion of Guatemala and for coordinating the transportation of multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Guatemala, Guatemala to Mexico, and then from Mexico into the United States for further distribution. 

Several key Los Zetas members at a wedding in 2010.

Los Zetas 'Split'

Since the death of Los Zetas founder, Heriberto "Z-3" Lazcano Lazcano, and the arrest of his replacement, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, "Z-40;" Jose Maria Guizar Valencia had assumed complete command and control of his own faction of Los Zetas in the Southern region of Mexico.

Guizar-Valencia was considered his own entity working in concert but independently of the Los Zetas faction headed by Omar Trevino Morales "Z-42" (Miguel Angel Trevino Morales’ brother). The Trevino-Morales family/organization would evolve into the current day Cartel del Noreste (CDN) while the traditional Zetas group, that "Z-43" led, became Zetas Viejas Escuela (ZVE) or Old School Zetas.

2018 Arrest

Guizar Valencia had been under indictment and was on the run for many years. The US offered a $5 million reward for his capture. He evaded authorities until Feb. 9, 2018, when Mexican authorities and military arrested him in Mexico City, Mexico. The year prior, he had relocated to Mexico City and was known to gamble on horse races in the area. He was living without security in the high-end Hotel Marabella Colonia Roma. He was tracked from the horse races to his suite where he was arrested outside.

He later waived extradition as he was a dual Mexican/US citizen. He also has an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia in addition to the two federal cases in Texas.

40-Year Sentence in Eastern Texas

"Z-43" also pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2021, in an Eastern Texas District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison on Nov. 15, 2022, by US District Judge Richard A. Schell.

During the investigation, Guizar-Valencia was identified as one of the top leaders of the cartel who was responsible for overseeing the cartel’s drug distribution, firearms trafficking, and bulk cash smuggling. As one of the organization's leaders, Guizar-Valencia approved criminal activities conducted by members of the cartel.

Guizar-Valencia, operating in Guatemala, was responsible for overseeing ton-quantity shipments of cocaine from Guatemala to Mexico and coordinated the transportation of the cocaine from Southern Mexico to Coahuila, Mexico. Guizar-Valencia also managed the receipt of millions of dollars in United States currency obtained from the sale of cocaine in the United States, which was used to pay for firearms purchased in the United States and for cocaine shipments coordinated out of Guatemala on behalf of the cartel.

US Authority Statements

“Today the cartels were put on notice,” said Hamdani. “After a long and hard-fought battle, we brought another ruthless cartel leader to justice. Jose Maria Guizar-Valencia may have thought he was untouchable, but now he feels the reach, power, and persistence of the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He once led the drug activity in a large swath of Central America. Those days are over, and the residents of the Southern District of Texas are now safer.”

“The guilty plea of Guizar-Valencia is another example of our success in the fight against Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States and exemplifies the commitment of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to battle against global drug trafficking organizations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. “DEA continues our pursuit to hold accountable high-ranking members of Mexican drug cartels who profit from the sale of dangerous drugs to our citizens, and threaten the security of the United States.”

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana will sentence Guizar-Valencia at a later date, at which time he will be facing a possible punishment of up to life in prison and a $10 million maximum fine. He will remain in custody.

Sources DOJ, DOJ, State Dept., Borderland Beat