California Man Who Co-Founded Powerful Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty in US

Erick Valencia Salazar admitted to conspiring to distribute cocaine for US importation as part of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:18am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a small plastic bag containing white powder, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the evidence at the heart of a major drug trafficking case.The guilty plea of a co-founder of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel exposes the violent underbelly of Mexico's drug trade.Santa Clara Today

Erick Valencia Salazar, a 49-year-old California man, has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to a narcotics conspiracy charge. Valencia Salazar co-founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug cartels, with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as 'El Mencho'. Valencia Salazar faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life for his role in the cartel's drug trafficking operations.

Why it matters

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US government due to the immense damage it has inflicted on both sides of the border through its drug trafficking and associated violence. Valencia Salazar's guilty plea is a significant victory in the ongoing efforts to dismantle the leadership of this cartel and curb its destabilizing influence in the region.

The details

Valencia Salazar was a member of the Milenio Cartel before co-founding the Jalisco New Generation Cartel with 'El Mencho'. As a high-ranking member, Valencia Salazar was responsible for recruitment and gathering intelligence on rival cartels. After parting ways with 'El Mencho', Valencia Salazar formed his own cartel called La Nueva Plaza. He was arrested twice in Mexico, first in 2012 and again in 2022, before being extradited to the US to face charges.

  • In 2018, a grand jury indicted Valencia Salazar on the conspiracy charge.
  • In February 2025, Mexican authorities sent him to the US as part of an initial group of 29 drug lords.
  • Valencia Salazar is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief Judge James Boasberg on July 31, 2026.

The players

Erick Valencia Salazar

A 49-year-old California man who co-founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug cartels, with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as 'El Mencho'.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes

Also known as 'El Mencho', he was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel until his death at the hands of the Mexican army in February 2026.

A. Tysen Duva

The assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's criminal division, who stated that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has inflicted 'immeasurable damage' on the US.

James Boasberg

The chief judge who is scheduled to sentence Valencia Salazar on July 31, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“Valencia Salazar was also responsible for furthering the rampant violence in Mexico, at the expense of people's lives and the safety of communities, that helped destabilize the region and allow crime to flourish.”

— A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General, Justice Department Criminal Division

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on July 31, 2026 whether to sentence Valencia Salazar to the mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison or up to a maximum of life imprisonment.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by US and Mexican authorities to dismantle the leadership of powerful and violent drug cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which have inflicted immense damage on both sides of the border through their drug trafficking operations and associated violence.