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Mexico's Sinaloa drug chief arrested
ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press
ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press
MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The world's most-wanted drug lord, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, arrived at the Mexico City airport after his arrest early Saturday and was being taken directly to prison, said Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam.
Guzman appeared in a white shirt and dark pants and had a mustache and full head of dark hair as he was held at the neck and escorted by two masked marines.
A massive operation that mushroomed through the western Mexican state of Sinaloa between Feb. 13 and 17 netted Guzman, who was captured at 6:40 a.m. by Mexican marines at the Miramar condominium along the waterfront in the resort city of Mazatlan, officials said.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto confirmed the arrest on his Twitter account Saturday afternoon.
Guzman, 56, was found with an unidentified woman, said one official not authorized to be quoted by name, adding that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marshals Service were "heavily involved" in the capture. No shots were fired.
FEDERAL JURY IN SAN ANTONIO CONVICTS LOS ZETAS ASSOCIATE IN DRUG
DISTRIBUTION AND KIDNAPPING SCHEME
Los Zetas associate and Eagle Pass, TX, resident Jose Luis Rodriguez (a.k.a. “Pollo”), age 36, faces up to life in
federal prison after a jury in San Antonio convicted him this afternoon of federal kidnapping and drug charges
announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse, San
Antonio Division, and Acting Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple,
Houston Division.
The jury convicted Rodriguez of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, three
substantive counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to kidnap.
Evidence presented during trial revealed that from September 2006 until April 2007, Rodriguez and others
conspired to distribute more than 1,600 kilograms of cocaine from Mexico through Eagle Pass and transported
it to San Antonio then ultimately to Cleveland, OH; Memphis, TN; Saginaw, MI; and, New York, NY. During
the course of the investigation, authorities seized a total of approximately 113 kilograms of cocaine and in
excess of $2 million in drug proceeds attributed to Rodriguez and his co-conspirators.
Evidence also revealed that Rodriguez and others conspired in early 2007 to unlawfully kidnap an Eagle Pass
resident and hold him hostage in Piedras Negras, Mexico, for the purpose of collecting money and property in
order to satisfy an illegal drug debt owed by the Eagle Pass resident.
Rodriguez, who was arrested in Mexico on a provisional arrest warrant and extradited to the U.S. last year,
remains in federal custody. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2014, before United States District Judge
Royce C. Lamberth.
This case was investigated by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement
Administration.
FORMER RESERVE AIRMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO THEFT OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
AND BURGLARIZING A DEL RIO PHARMACY
In Del Rio today, 20-year-old Simon Robert Barron, a former reserve U.S. Airman temporarily assigned to
Laughlin Air Force Base, pleaded guilty federal charges of stealing Government property and burglary of a
pharmacy announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman.
According to court records, on May 20, 2013, Barron attempted to purchase cough syrup at the LifeChek
Pharmacy located on North Bedell Avenue, but was turned away for not having a prescription. That evening,
Barron returned to the pharmacy where he used a rock to smash a window, entered the pharmacy, and then stole
an assortment of narcotics with a retail value of more than $63,000. Two days later, while at Laughlin AFB,
Barron was ordered to undergo a medical evaluation after he appeared intoxicated. A urinalysis revealed the
presence of marijuana, Xanax, cocaine, codeine, and several opiates in his system. During a subsequent search
authorization, issued by a military magistrate and executed at the Barron’s barracks room, Air Force OSI
investigators discovered over 6,300 pills and liquid narcotics stolen from the LifeChek pharmacy along with
stolen Government property including seven GPS units, two digital cameras, a power drill, an LED flashlight
and a Motorola Radio Base Station. Authorities also recovered an Air Force air compressor from Barron’s
vehicle and a Government chainsaw Barron pawned at a local pawn shop on the day of the pharmacy burglary.
The value of the stolen Government property is estimated to be more than $5,500.
Barron faces up to twenty years in federal prison on the pharmacy burglary charge and up to ten years in federal
prison on the theft of Government property charge. He remains on bond pending sentencing which has yet to be
scheduled.
This investigation was conducted by agents with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations together with the
Del Rio Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Burke is prosecuting this case on behalf
of the Government.