Cartel Co-Founder Pleads Guilty to U.S. Drug Trafficking Charges

Erick Valencia Salazar, a former leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, admits to conspiring to distribute cocaine in the United States.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:52pm

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An extreme close-up of a small plastic bag containing white powder, captured in harsh, dramatic lighting that creates a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic without any text or visual distractions.A stark visual representation of the deadly drugs trafficked by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose former leadership is now facing justice.NYC Today

Erick Valencia Salazar, a co-founder of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic drugs in a Washington federal court. Known as 'El 85,' Valencia Salazar was a key figure in the cartel's leadership alongside 'El Mencho' before the two split. Valencia Salazar admitted to sending thousands of pounds of cocaine into the U.S. starting around 2010 when the cartel was formed.

Why it matters

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel has become one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, with a reputation for using extreme violence to maintain control over drug routes and operations. Valencia Salazar's conviction is part of a broader crackdown on Mexican cartel leadership, with increased extraditions and plea deals with U.S. authorities in recent years.

The details

Valencia Salazar pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine in the U.S. as part of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's former leadership. He admitted to responsibilities that included recruiting gang members and gathering intelligence on rival cartels in an effort to gain control of drug trafficking operations in parts of Mexico and routes to the U.S. Hundreds of gang members reported directly to Valencia Salazar, who routinely ordered up violence.

  • Valencia Salazar was first arrested by Mexican authorities in 2012.
  • He was released from a Mexican prison in 2017 due to due process violations.
  • Valencia Salazar was extradited to the U.S. along with more than two dozen other Mexican gang members last year.
  • He pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charges in a Washington federal court on Tuesday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Erick Valencia Salazar

A co-founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel who was known as 'El 85' and was a key figure in the cartel's leadership alongside 'El Mencho' before the two split.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes

Also known as 'El Mencho,' he was the brutal drug lord and co-leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel who was killed in a Mexican Army raid in Jalisco in February 2026.

Terrance Cole

The Drug Enforcement Administration chief who said Valencia Salazar helped build the Jalisco New Generation Cartel into a 'ruthless organization that uses violence as a business model.'

A. Tysen Duva

The Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's criminal division who accused Valencia Salazar of helping turn the Jalisco New Generation Cartel into 'one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico.'

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What they’re saying

“Erick Valencia Salazar helped build C.J.N.G. into a ruthless organization that uses violence as a business model — murdering for control in Mexico while flooding the United States with poison.”

— Terrance Cole, Drug Enforcement Administration chief

“Erick Valencia Salazar had helped to turn C.J.N.G. into 'one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, which shipped tons of cocaine into the United States,' accusing him of inflicting 'immeasurable damage' domestically and 'furthering the rampant violence in Mexico, at the expense of people's lives and the safety of communities.”

— A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's criminal division

What’s next

Valencia Salazar is set to be sentenced in July and faces a minimum punishment of 10 years and up to life in prison.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenge of dismantling powerful Mexican drug cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which have become increasingly violent and entrenched in the drug trade. The conviction of a former cartel leader like Valencia Salazar is a significant step, but the cartel's influence and reach remain a major threat on both sides of the border.