Vicente Carrillo Fuentes
Encyclopedia
Vicente Carrillo Fuentes (born October 16, 1962) is a Mexican
drug lord
who heads the Juárez Cartel
in Mexico
, which controls one of the primary transportation routes for billions of dollars worth of illegal drug shipments entering the United States
from Mexico annually.
Carrillo Fuentes is currently at large and is charged in a forty-six count indictment in the Western District of Texas
with continuing criminal enterprise, importation and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
and marijuana, conspiracy to import and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, as well as with money laundering
, tampering with a witness, ordering the intentional killing of individuals to prevent communication of information by them to U.S. law enforcement, and murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million USD for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.
was founded by his brother Amado Carrillo Fuentes
following the death of Pablo Acosta Villarreal. Vicente was born to Vicente Carrillo and Aurora Fuentes in Jerez de Garcia Salinas
, Zacatecas
. He was the third of six brothers: Cipriano, Amado, Vicente, José Cruz, Alberto and Rodolfo. Vicente also has six sisters. All are nephews of Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo
.
Cipriano Carillo Fuentes died in the mid 1980s by gunshot under mysterious circumstances. Amado began in the drug business under the tutelage of his uncle and eventually formed the Juárez Cartel by 1993. Amado brought in his brothers and eventually his son Vicente Carrillo Leyva, who was arrested on April 1, 2009.
When Amado died on July 3, 1997 following complications from plastic surgery, a brief turf war began in Juarez over the leadership of the cartel. Vicente would emerge as the victor after defeating the Muňoz Talavera brothers for control of the cartel. Vicente formed a partnership with Juan José Esparragoza Moreno
, his brother Rodolfo Carrillo Fuentes, his nephew Vicente Carrillo Leyva, Ricardo Garcia Urquiza and the Beltrán Leyva brothers
. He kept in service several lieutenants formally under his brother, such as "El Chacky" Hernandez.
The organization was in flux by the time Vicente took control of the cartel and the death of Amado created a large power vacuum in the Mexican underworld. The Arellano Félix brothers became the most powerful organization during the 1990s while Vicente was able to avoid direct conflict and increase the strength of the Juárez Cartel. The relationship between the Carrillo Fuentes clan and the other members of the organization grew unstable towards the end of the 1990s and into the 2000s. In 2001 after the escape from prison by Joaquín Guzmán Loera, many of the Juárez Cartel members defected to Guzmán's Sinaloa cartel
.
In 2004 Rodolfo Carillo was killed outside of a movie theatre allegedly at the behest of Guzmán Loera. Vicente Carrillo responded by having Guzmán Loera's brother "El Pollo" assassinated in prison. This sparked off a turf war; however, it seemed that the war between the two was on hold during 2005 and 2006 because the Sinaloa Cartel
was engaged in a vicious war with their rival, the Gulf Cartel
. During this time, the leadership of the cartel was between Vicente Carrillo and Ricardo García Urquiza, who was arrested in November 2005. The cartel had become factionalized between the groups loyal to the Carrillo family and the groups loyal to Juan José Esparragosa Moreno and Guzmán Loera's Sinaloa Cartel
.
The Juárez Cartel, under the control of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes and his nephew Vicente Carrillo Leyva, was placed under a large degree of pressure following the "House of Death
" case, in which the organization was penetrated by law enforcement, but was corrupted by the fact that the informant participated in murders. In 2008, 200 murders occurred in the first three months and it appeared that the war between the Sinaloa Federation and the remnants of the Juárez Cartel was back on. President Calderón
sent thousands of troops to Ciudad Juárez
. The Juárez Cartel, at one time the most powerful in Mexico, is a shadow of its former self.
His nephew, Vicente Carrillo Leyva, was arrested by Mexican authorities in April 2009, and subsequently acquitted of money laundering charges. The whereabouts of Vicente Carillo Fuentes remains unknown, and he remains among Mexico's most powerful drug lords to this day.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
who heads the Juárez Cartel
Juárez Cartel
The Juárez Cartel , also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization, is a Mexican drug cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, which controls one of the primary transportation routes for billions of dollars worth of illegal drug shipments entering the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Mexico annually.
Carrillo Fuentes is currently at large and is charged in a forty-six count indictment in the Western District of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
with continuing criminal enterprise, importation and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and marijuana, conspiracy to import and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, as well as with money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, tampering with a witness, ordering the intentional killing of individuals to prevent communication of information by them to U.S. law enforcement, and murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million USD for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.
Family relations and alliances
The Juárez CartelJuárez Cartel
The Juárez Cartel , also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization, is a Mexican drug cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas...
was founded by his brother Amado Carrillo Fuentes
Amado Carrillo Fuentes
Amado Carrillo Fuentes , was a Mexican drug lord who seized control of the Juárez Cartel after assassinating his boss Rafael Aguilar Guajardo. Amado Carrillo became known as "El Señor de Los Cielos" because of the large fleet of jets he used to transport drugs...
following the death of Pablo Acosta Villarreal. Vicente was born to Vicente Carrillo and Aurora Fuentes in Jerez de Garcia Salinas
Jerez de García Salinas
The city and surrounding municipality of Jerez is located in the center of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Jerez de García Salinas is the name of the city and "Jerez" of the municipality....
, Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
. He was the third of six brothers: Cipriano, Amado, Vicente, José Cruz, Alberto and Rodolfo. Vicente also has six sisters. All are nephews of Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo
Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo
Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo is a former Mexican narcotics trafficker, operating as leader of the Guadalajara Cartel alongside Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero...
.
Cipriano Carillo Fuentes died in the mid 1980s by gunshot under mysterious circumstances. Amado began in the drug business under the tutelage of his uncle and eventually formed the Juárez Cartel by 1993. Amado brought in his brothers and eventually his son Vicente Carrillo Leyva, who was arrested on April 1, 2009.
When Amado died on July 3, 1997 following complications from plastic surgery, a brief turf war began in Juarez over the leadership of the cartel. Vicente would emerge as the victor after defeating the Muňoz Talavera brothers for control of the cartel. Vicente formed a partnership with Juan José Esparragoza Moreno
Juan José Esparragoza Moreno
Juan José Esparragoza Moreno a.k.a: El Azul , is a former Mexican Federal Judicial Police officer turned drug trafficker. Esparragoza was born in Huichiopa, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa...
, his brother Rodolfo Carrillo Fuentes, his nephew Vicente Carrillo Leyva, Ricardo Garcia Urquiza and the Beltrán Leyva brothers
Beltrán-Leyva Cartel
The Beltrán-Leyva Cartel was a Mexican drug cartel and organized crime syndicate founded by the four Beltrán Leyva brothers: Marcos Arturo, Carlos, Alfredo and Héctor....
. He kept in service several lieutenants formally under his brother, such as "El Chacky" Hernandez.
The organization was in flux by the time Vicente took control of the cartel and the death of Amado created a large power vacuum in the Mexican underworld. The Arellano Félix brothers became the most powerful organization during the 1990s while Vicente was able to avoid direct conflict and increase the strength of the Juárez Cartel. The relationship between the Carrillo Fuentes clan and the other members of the organization grew unstable towards the end of the 1990s and into the 2000s. In 2001 after the escape from prison by Joaquín Guzmán Loera, many of the Juárez Cartel members defected to Guzmán's Sinaloa cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
.
In 2004 Rodolfo Carillo was killed outside of a movie theatre allegedly at the behest of Guzmán Loera. Vicente Carrillo responded by having Guzmán Loera's brother "El Pollo" assassinated in prison. This sparked off a turf war; however, it seemed that the war between the two was on hold during 2005 and 2006 because the Sinaloa Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
was engaged in a vicious war with their rival, the Gulf Cartel
Gulf Cartel
The Gulf Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico, and perhaps the oldest organized crime group in the country...
. During this time, the leadership of the cartel was between Vicente Carrillo and Ricardo García Urquiza, who was arrested in November 2005. The cartel had become factionalized between the groups loyal to the Carrillo family and the groups loyal to Juan José Esparragosa Moreno and Guzmán Loera's Sinaloa Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
.
The Juárez Cartel, under the control of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes and his nephew Vicente Carrillo Leyva, was placed under a large degree of pressure following the "House of Death
House of Death
The House of Death refers to a serial killing site in the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, where executions were committed by members of the Juárez Cartel, some allegedly with the knowledge and participation of a United States undercover informant known by the pseudonym "Lalo", who had...
" case, in which the organization was penetrated by law enforcement, but was corrupted by the fact that the informant participated in murders. In 2008, 200 murders occurred in the first three months and it appeared that the war between the Sinaloa Federation and the remnants of the Juárez Cartel was back on. President Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
sent thousands of troops to Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
. The Juárez Cartel, at one time the most powerful in Mexico, is a shadow of its former self.
His nephew, Vicente Carrillo Leyva, was arrested by Mexican authorities in April 2009, and subsequently acquitted of money laundering charges. The whereabouts of Vicente Carillo Fuentes remains unknown, and he remains among Mexico's most powerful drug lords to this day.
See also
- Drug cartelDrug cartelDrug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
s- Gulf CartelGulf CartelThe Gulf Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico, and perhaps the oldest organized crime group in the country...
- Juárez CartelJuárez CartelThe Juárez Cartel , also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization, is a Mexican drug cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas...
- Sinaloa CartelSinaloa CartelThe Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
- Tijuana CartelTijuana CartelThe Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
- Gulf Cartel
- Drug lordDrug lordA drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
- List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords
- Mérida InitiativeMérida InitiativeThe Mérida Initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the United States and the government of Mexico and the countries of Central America, with the declared aim of combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering...
- Mexican drug warMexican Drug WarThe Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...