Daughter of Jalisco Cartel Kingpin El Mencho to Plead Guilty in U.S.

By Joshua Summers Mar 11 2021, 04:22 AM EST

The daughter of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," will plead guilty in the United States.

According to Courier-Journal, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez will plead guilty to a felony charge for helping the Jalisco cartel, as cited by documents filed in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

ABC7 Chicago reported that federal authorities had already hammered out a deal for El Mencho's 34-year-old daughter to plead guilty.

Jessica Oseguera, known as "La Negra," faces five counts of having financial dealings with business blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department since they were connected to Jalisco New Generation Cartel or CJNG.

The businesses include a resort, an ad agency, two sushi restaurants, and a tequila company. Officials said the tequila firm owned by Jessica Oseguera was used to launder her family's drug cartel profits.

According to Insight Crime.org, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is a criminal group that grew due to killings, captures, and rifts with other drug cartels in Mexico. The Jalisco cartel is not only known for its aggressive use of violence but also for its public relations campaigns as well.

The Arrest of Jalisco Cartel Head's Daughter

El Mencho's son, Ruben Oseguera Gonzalez, known as "El Menchito," was extradited last year from Mexico to the U.S., where he faces drug trafficking charges.

Jessica Oseguera, his sister, came to the U.S. to support him. But she was promptly arrested even before she could enter the federal court in D.C. on March 3, 2020. Unlike their father, La Negra and El Menchito were born in the U.S., giving them dual citizenship.

Since Jessica Oseguera is a U.S. citizen, it is a crime for her to interact with or spend money at blacklisted businesses, Courier-Journal reported.

Jessica Oseguera was set to go on trial on Mar. 22. But her defense team filed a joint motion along with federal prosecutors to cancel the proceedings and prepare for the upcoming guilty plea.

ABC7 Chicago noted that the deal's terms were not yet public, but the plea arrangement is set to be disclosed for a federal judge Friday.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) earlier said that El Mencho filled the void left by Joaquin Guzman Loera or "El Chapo" following his extradition to the U.S. So far, El Mencho, who is believed to be hiding out in Mexico, has successfully evaded federal law enforcement.

El Mencho allegedly controls a majority of heroin, cocaine, and meth flowing into Chicago. Officials said there is currently a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

The number of homicides, forced disappearances, and mass graves' discoveries in Jalisco allegedly increased following the emergence of the Jalisco cartel, which is at war with the Sinaloa cartel.

Another High-Ranking Leader of Jalisco Cartel Arrested

Meanwhile, an alleged high-ranking leader for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico on Tuesday afternoon, Mexican authorities said.

Juan Manuel Abouzaid's arrest came a week after the U.S. government labeled him a drug trafficker and financially sanctioned him under the Kingpin Act, according to The Daily Mail.

Abouzaid, also known as "The Arab" and "The Scorpion," allegedly coordinated the drugs' shipment and laundering money for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. According to the DEA, Abouzaid's ties to the Jalisco cartel began as early as 2012.

In October 2018, he was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine to the U.S. as part of an unsealed indictment filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Reports said Abouzaid was initially detained in Jalisco but was later transferred to the Attorney General's headquarters in Mexico City for the ongoing processing.

WATCH: New Generation Jalisco Drug Cartel Spreads Through Mexico - From CGTN America