Claudia Patricia Álvarez Hernández, wife of incarcerated Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Jorge Alberto Valenzuela Valenzuela, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for her role in a major drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy involving millions of dollars.
Prosecutors say Álvarez Hernández’s sentence is part of continuing investigations against Los Valenzuela, a criminal group tied to the Sinaloa Cartel accused of importing banned narcotics into the US.
Related posts
During the multi-year investigation, which began in 2020 following Jorge Alberto Valenzuela’s arrest, officials established that Álvarez Hernández played a vital part in her husband’s criminal enterprise, providing her access to luxury travel, jewelry, properties, and other high-end things.
Prosecutors said she and other family members were heavily involved in Los Valenzuela’s operations after Jorge Alberto was arrested, overseeing its remaining members and protecting its criminal assets in Mexico and the United States.
U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler also sentenced her to forfeit more than $5 million in expensive watches, jewelry, automobiles, and cash confiscated during the investigation.
“For years Álvarez Hernández lived in comfort while turning a blind eye to the violence, addiction, and devastation her husband’s cartel inflicted on our communities,” DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee said in a statement. “Today’s 14-year sentence makes clear that those who profit from drug trafficking will be held accountable, whether they are on the front lines or living in luxury.
The federal investigation has charged 109 individuals associated with Los Valenzuela. Authorities seized almost 2,000 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl, as well as more than $16 million in cash.
Jorge Alberto Valenzuela has been in US detention since 2020. He pleaded guilty to narcotics trafficking and money laundering charges and is now awaiting punishment.
“Cartel WAGs are in for a rude awakening,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said. “There is a lie behind their luxury: that they didn’t know. This sentence reflects the reality.”
Who are Los Valenzuela?
Los Valenzuela was originally part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s larger drug trafficking network, but it is now associated with La Mayiza, a faction loyal to Ismael Zambada Sicairos, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
The group’s ties with Los Chapitos, La Mayiza’s opponents in Sinaloa’s ongoing cartel war, ceased several years before the present fight.
In 2020, Jorge Alberto Valenzuela had a disagreement with Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and current leader of Los Chapitos, according to Infobae México.
Internal disagreements resulted in the death of Gabriel Valenzuela Valenzuela, one of Jorge Alberto’s brothers and a Los Valenzuela leader.
Following his murder, the Valenzuela family obtained firearms, ammunition, tactical gear, armored vehicles, and ballistic vests, much of which was sourced in the United States and transported into Mexico via illegal arms trafficking networks.
According to US authorities, Los Valenzuela was previously one of the main importers of cocaine and other prohibited narcotics into the United States, including fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. The organization used commercial trucking businesses to bring narcotics across the border and distribute them throughout the United States.
