Brother of Mexican cartel leader El Mencho sentenced to 22 years in prison for drug trafficking plot

Breaking FAA ground stop: Some international flights begin to depart at LAX Sentencing Brother of Mexican cartel leader El Mencho sentenced to 22 years in prison for drug trafficking plot Watch ABC News live news stream and get 24/7 latest, breaking news coverage, and live video. By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Saturday, November 14, 2026 12:54AM Share WASHINGTON -- A man whose brother led one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels was sentenced Friday to more than 22 years in U.S. prison for his part in a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy that brought cocaine and methamphetamine to American streets. Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of the late Jalisco New Generation co-founder known as El Mencho , pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in July after the Mexican government handed him over to U.S. authorities last year alongside other high-ranking cartel leaders. His case is part of a broader Trump administration effort to crack down on powerful cartels such as Jalisco New Generation, also known as CJNG, that have helped fuel America's drug epidemic. "Oseguera Cervantes' sentence sends a clear message to criminals around the world that the Department of Justice is committed to the total elimination of drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations, including the CJNG," Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva, who leads the department's Criminal Division, said in an emailed statement. Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, 68, of Michoacán, Mexico, worked for cartels with his brother Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the drug lord known as El Mencho, who was killed by the Mexican army in February, according to federal prosecutors. Antonio Oseguera Cervantes was a leader of the Milenio Cartel and later reported directly to his brother after El Mencho became the CJNG's top leader, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors in Washington's federal court had recommended a 30-year prison sentence, noting that his duties included receiving CJNG drug proceeds, managing the cartel's money laundering activities and supervising meth laboratories. FAA ground stop: Some international flights begin to depart at LAX, other SoCal airports 14 minutes ago FAA ground stop live updates: What to know as nationwide flights are grounded 31 minutes ago Emergency crews responding to vessel collision near Port of New Orleans on Mississippi River 14 minutes ago "Rival cartels rarely settle disputes through diplomacy alone," prosecutors wrote in court papers. "And while there may be no nonviolent drug cartels in Mexico, (Oseguera Cervantes) was a member of particularly brutal cartels." Antonio Oseguera Cervantes' lawyers requested a 20-year prison sentence, saying in court documents that he accepts full responsibility for his crimes and had already spent several years behind bars in Mexico for essentially the same conduct to which he pleaded guilty in the U.S. Defense attorney Frank Perez said in an email Friday that the sentence was "appropriate, just, and fair under the circumstances." Antonio Oseguera Cervantes expressed remorse in a letter addressed to the court, saying he is "deeply sorry for my actions and for the harm they caused." "One of my greatest fears is that I will die far away from my family," he wrote. "I love my children and my family very much, and I hope that I may one day have the opportunity to spend the remaining years of my life with them." Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer contributed from Washington. Report a correction or typo Copyright © 2026 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Related Topics SENTENCING CARTEL U.S. & WORLD MEXICO Fresno killer says, 'I'd do it a million times,' during sentencing Families of 50 CA murder victims voice support for Newsom's move to commute death sentences Russell Brand sentenced to 10 years, 6 months in prison for rape, sexual assault Man convicted of murdering his girlfriend and child in Rome Watch Live ON NOW FAA ground stop: Some international flights begin to depart at LAX 14 minutes ago FAA ground stop live updates: What to know as flights are grounded 31 minutes ago 'Miracle': All rescued from capsized New Orleans riverboat in tanker collision 14 minutes ago New details emerge about driver accused in deadly Metro station crash Cars stuck on flooded street in Wilmington area