Former Guerreros Unidos Cartel Leader ‘El Tomate’ Gets 11 Years in Prison for Smuggling Drugs to Chicago
Leader of Cartel Linked to Disappearance of 43 Mexican Students
A former leader of the Guerreros Unidos cartel – which has been linked to the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico – was sentenced to 11 years in prison Wednesday by a federal judge in Chicago.
Adan Casarrubias Salgado’s Sentence
Adan Casarrubias Salgado, 56, had faced a potential life sentence when he was extradited to Chicago from Mexico in the spring of 2022 to face charges that he presided over the deliveries of heroin and cash for the cartel. Now, he’ll probably be released in seven years after getting credit for the time he spent in custody pending trial, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly noted at Salgado’s sentencing. He will then be deported to Mexico, where he could face other charges.
The Guerreros Unidos Cartel
The Guerreros Unidos cartel, considered a smaller player in Mexico’s sprawling industry for illicit narcotics, made international headlines when it was connected to the still unsolved kidnappings and suspected murders of 43 teaching students in the town of Iguala in Guerrero state in 2014, the Sun-Times previously reported.
Casarrubias Salgado’s Role in the Cartel
Known as “El Tomate,” Casarrubias Salgado coordinated drug shipments from Guerreros Unidos via hidden compartments on buses that moved between Mexico and Chicago, ordered who would receive quantities of heroin for distribution and coordinated the money from the sale of drugs back to the cartel, prosecutors have said.
Plea Deal and Sentence
Casarrubias Salgado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering earlier this year. He admitted to coordinating the distribution of Mexican heroin in the Chicago area and the shipment of money back to Mexico between April and June 2015 after his brother was arrested by authorities in Mexico. In exchange for his plea, Casarrubias Salgado faced a 10-20 year prison term, with federal prosecutors recommending 17.5 years behind bars.
Judge’s Decision
In announcing the sentence, Kennelly said he was considering Casarrubias Salgado’s age and that he had already spent seven years in prison in Mexico for essentially the same crime before he was extradited. The judge noted that Casarrubias Salgado had claimed he was subjected to brutal torture by Mexican authorities, including electrocution, while in their custody.
Casarrubias Salgado’s Statement
In his statement to the court, Casarrubias Salgado said he deeply feared being deported back to Mexico and said he believed he would have been murdered by Mexican authorities had he not been extradited to the United States. He also mentioned that he had previously worked in Chicago as a pizza delivery driver, as a metal worker, and planting trees in national parks. “I was never the head, I never was,” he said. “I never wanted to be a leader.” He apologized to the United States for “the harm that I have done to this society.”
Conclusion
Casarrubias Salgado’s sentence brings a sense of closure to the case, but it also highlights the complex and often brutal world of organized crime in Mexico. The Guerreros Unidos cartel’s activities have had far-reaching consequences, including the disappearance of 43 students and the murder of many others.
FAQs
* What is the Guerreros Unidos cartel?
The Guerreros Unidos cartel is a Mexican drug cartel that has been linked to the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico and other violent crimes.
* Who is Adan Casarrubias Salgado?
Adan Casarrubias Salgado is a former leader of the Guerreros Unidos cartel who was extradited to the United States and sentenced to 11 years in prison for smuggling drugs to Chicago.
* What was Casarrubias Salgado’s role in the cartel?
Casarrubias Salgado coordinated drug shipments from Guerreros Unidos and ordered who would receive quantities of heroin for distribution and coordinated the money from the sale of drugs back to the cartel.
* How long will Casarrubias Salgado be in prison?
Casarrubias Salgado will be released in seven years after getting credit for the time he spent in custody pending trial, and then be deported to Mexico, where he could face other charges.
