3 arrested in Charlotte area with ties to Mexican drug cartel. 600+ charged in US, officials say
Six people in North Carolina — including three from the Charlotte area — are among hundreds of those arrested and indicted in a federal law enforcement crackdown on a Mexican drug cartel, officials announced this week.
The U.S. Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration said in a statement Wednesday that a joint operation called Project Python targeted Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación — a criminal group based in Jalisco, Mexico. Officials say the enforcement led to more than 600 arrests, 350 indictments and “significant seizures of money and drugs” over six months.
According to the Department of Justice, the criminal group is “one of the fastest growing transnational criminal organizations in Mexico” and “one of the most prolific methamphetamine producers in the world.”
According to the DOJ statement and United States Attorney Andrew Murray’s office, among those arrested in North Carolina were:
▪ Jose Velasquez, 35, from Charlotte. Authorities charged Velasquez with drug trafficking conspiracy, international money laundering and three charges of possession with intent to distribute for heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.
▪ Oscar Bello-Lopez, 33, a citizen of Mexico who was living in Charlotte. Murray’s office says Bello-Lopez was sentenced to 188 months in prison with five years of supervised release for drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry by a felon.
▪ Otequise Lenard Miller, 34, from Concord. Miller, according to Murray’s statement, was sentenced to 240 months in prison with five years of supervised release for drug trafficking conspiracy resulting in death, money laundering conspiracy and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
▪ Johnny Michael Boone, Jr., 33, from Bessemer City was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, officials said.
▪ Jose Rigoberto Rodriquez-Rangel, 21, from Durham, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He is awaiting sentencing, according to Murray’s office.
▪ Jose Dolorez Martinez-Martines, 32, a citizen of Mexico who was living in Durham. Murray’s office says he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He is awaiting sentencing.
“My office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to bringing members of this drug trafficking organization to justice, and disrupting CJNG’s drug trafficking networks in Western North Carolina,” Murray said in the statement.
In addition to the DEA, Murray thanked ICE’s homeland security investigations, the Gastonia Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for investigating the cases.
Western District of North Carolina U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray, thanked local law agencies for assisting in an federal operation that targeted a Mexican drug cartel with N.C. ties.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated Miller’s prison sentence. It’s 240 months.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
