'El Mencho's' Brother Sentenced to 22.5 Years After Pleading Guilty to Trafficking Cocaine and Meth Into the US
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of the CJNG cartel's slain leader, was sentenced in Washington after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges tied to the violent Mexican cartel.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, the brother of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's late leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, was sentenced Friday to 22.5 years in federal prison, according to CBS News, after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell handed down the sentence in Washington, D.C., following Oseguera Cervantes's guilty plea to conspiring to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy. The 67-year-old, from Michoacán, Mexico, faced a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of two consecutive life sentences; his defense had pushed for a 20-year term, in line with a recommendation from the court's probation office, according to Rio Times Online.
A Cartel Case Years in the Making
Known to associates as "Tony Montana," Oseguera Cervantes was extradited to the United States by the Mexican government in February 2025 as part of a broader crackdown on CJNG, one of the most violent and far-reaching drug trafficking organizations operating in Mexico. His case is separate from the prosecution of his brother, the cartel's founder, who died in February before facing trial in the U.S.
The sentencing is the latest in a string of high-profile CJNG prosecutions in American courts, including a close ally of "El Mencho" who received 30 years in prison last year and a brother-in-law sentenced separately to the same term, as the Justice Department continues ramping up pressure on the cartel's leadership network.
OFFERED APOLOGIES AND ASKED FOR COMPASSION
Oseguera Cervantes addressed the court directly before sentencing, offering an apology and asking for leniency, according to Mexican outlet Grupo Animal's reporting on the plea proceedings.
What's Next
Prosecutors have signaled that additional CJNG-linked prosecutions remain in the pipeline as the cartel continues to be a top target of U.S. law enforcement. Oseguera Cervantes is expected to serve his sentence in a U.S. federal facility.