4 Sinaloa Cartel-Linked Defendants Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging They Operated Family-Run Drug and Gun Trafficking Ring (DOJ)

LOS ANGELES - Law enforcement today arrested four Sinaloa Cartel-linked defendants - all members of the same family, three of them illegal aliens from Mexico - who are charged in a 29-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they trafficked fentanyl, pound quantities of methamphetamine, and firearms, including so-called "ghost guns" lacking serial numbers.

The following defendants were arrested today and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles:

• José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, a.k.a. "Oso," of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
• Alfonso Salazar, 46, a.k.a. "Pirate," of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
• José Manuel Salazar, 22, a.k.a. "Lil Oso," of Lancaster; and
• Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, a.k.a. "Sharky," of Hesperia; an illegal alien from Mexico.

José Luis Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar are brothers. José Manuel Salazar is José Luis Salazar-Cruz's son.

Law enforcement continues to search for co-defendant José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock.

All five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.

Salazar-Cruz is charged with seven counts of being an alien in possession of firearms, seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of possession of a destructive device, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.

The other defendants are charged with various felonies - with Paniagua charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Among the charges Alfonso Salazar faces is distribution of methamphetamine and being an alien in possession of a firearm.

According to the indictment, from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz used text messaging applications, encrypted messaging applications, telephone calls, and in-person meetings to coordinate the sale of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as firearms. The other defendants charged then brokered sales of the drugs and firearms between suppliers and customers and met with customers to sell the drugs.

Multiple drug sales were made - often of approximately one pound of methamphetamine. For example, on January 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 324 grams (11.4 ounces) of fentanyl.

On July 30, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer approximately 1.2 kilograms (2.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. On December 19, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold the same buyer approximately 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds) of methamphetamine.

From December 2024 to July 2025, Salazar-Cruz and the other defendants also illegally sold buyers multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a street-sweeper destructive device, and a privately manufactured AR-style rifle with no serial number, commonly referred to as a "ghost gun."

In May 2025, Salazar-Cruz and three other defendants told a buyer that their supply of drugs came from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico by traveling across the border via trailer; Paniagua obtained the drugs from members of the Sinaloa cartel; and he provided the drugs to Salazar-Cruz in exchange for money.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Bernardino Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.