"El Ruso's" Sister Xóchitl was Released from FGR Custody in Mexicali

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Xóchitl Harumi Sánchez Félix, a woman identified as a sister of "El Ruso", was detained on January 19, 2024. However, a few days later, reports indicated that she was released.

After spending almost a week in prison accused of 'carrying weapons for the exclusive use of the Army,' Xóchitl Sánchez Félix, sister of El Ruso, a criminal leader who operates in Mexicali, was released due to irregularities in the process against her.

"El Ruso's" identity was recently revealed after his ID had been misfiled by police.

Xóchitl is the sister of Jesús Alexander Sánchez Félix and/or José Ponce Félix, "El Ruso," leader of the Los Ruso armed faction of the Sinaloa Cartel under Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Los Rusos control a large part of the illicit activities that occur in Mexicali and its valley.

In the early hours of Saturday, January 27, Xóchitl, the 32-year-old woman regained her freedom along with the two people with whom she was detained, César Antonio Mojardín Pérez, 25; and Ramón Omar Avilez Medina, 43. Ramón Omar Avilez Medina is the husband of "El Ruso's" sister Xóchitl. 

Alfonso Medina Peralta "P1"

Ramón is also the cousin of Alfonso Medina Peralta, known as "P1." P1 is believed to be the acting leader of Los Rusos, with members of the group including Los Omegas reporting to him.

Possible Inconsistencies in Arrest

The trio was arrested due to 'the possession of firearms inside the vehicle' in which they were traveling on the border of the Mexicali Valley with San Luis Río Colorado, at around Kilometer 57.

The defense presented testimonies and evidence to discredit the arrests. They looked to prove it was not carried out as initially referred to in the information report.

Initially, Zeta Tijuana reported that they “tried to corroborate whether the arrest was made inside or outside a home, but it has not been possible to specify the details of the capture with certainty. The only thing that's certain is that a special group of the FESC carried out the operation. At this time there is a property being guarded by authorities.”

This leads one to believe that the arrests did not take place while traveling in a vehicle given the location and accused crimes. It is however possible the arrest took place near a home, possibly unrelated, and the area was being guarded.

Columna Ocho takes this theory a step further saying that the home was raided by soldiers without provocation who proceeded to abuse, beat, and torture those detained. The federal judge who released the detainees also ordered the state to begin a process to look for possible acts of abuse committed against those involved by the uniformed officers. 

That mention backs up the theory of abuse of some kind, or at least that being used as a defense. And lends more credibility to the arrest taking place at a home.

The official state claim is that a man threatened the soldiers with a gun and this resulted in the arrests and seizure of weapons.

For the federal judge, there was enough testimony and evidence to discredit the version of the state officials, so the immediate release was announced and the state authorities were asked to initiate an investigation into the victims and how the events occurred, to 'possibly' sanction the arresting agents.

It should be noted that "El Ruso" was being protected by FGR agents Iván Doroteo Palafox and Víctor Hugo Alva Rocha in the past. The agents were his active bodyguards during an attempted capture three years ago.

Sources Zeta Tijuana, Infobae, Borderland Beat