President Trump's administration turned up the heat on Mexico's most dangerous cartel Wednesday, slapping a $25 million bounty on its new leader and unsealing criminal charges against five other senior figures in the terrorist organization.
The reward for Juan Carlos Valencia González, better known as “Pelón,” was increased from $5 million. More than $100 million is now being offered for information leading to the arrest or conviction of eight Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) fugitives.
Pelón, 41, is a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen and the stepson of longtime CJNG boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho." He took control of the cartel after El Mencho was killed during a Mexican military operation in February, an operation the White House confirmed was backed by U.S. intelligence support. CJNG is responsible for a significant share of the fentanyl flowing into American communities and killing tens of thousands of Americans every year.
Pelón was previously indicted on charges of conspiring to manufacture and distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the United States, along with a firearms charge involving a machine gun. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) now lists him among its most wanted fugitives.
Acting DOJ Attorney General Todd Blanche said the new charges and rewards were part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to dismantle the cartels:
"The American people gave us a mandate to keep this country safe, and we will not rest until it is fulfilled. Today's unsealing of criminal charges against five high-ranking CJNG leaders marks another decisive step in our campaign to dismantle the cartels that have plagued this country for far too long."
The five newly charged defendants are Julio César Montero Pinzón, Carlos Andrés Rivera Varela, Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán, Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, and Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez. All five remain at large.
Federal prosecutors say the five men spent more than a decade running conspiracies to manufacture and flood the United States with fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, poisons that have destroyed American families from coast to coast. They also allegedly used, carried, brandished, and fired weapons, including machine guns and destructive devices, to keep the operation running. Each faces up to two consecutive life sentences if convicted.
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This goes well beyond street-level drug dealing. Montero Pinzón and Rivera Varela allegedly created and commanded Grupo Elite, CJNG's heavily armed enforcement wing. The unit had more than 1,000 personnel and ran training camps where recruits learned to use rocket launchers, .50-caliber machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades. The camps also trained members in torture and violence against public officials, rival cartel members, and anyone else CJNG wanted to send a message to.
Mendoza Gaytán, El Mencho's godson, allegedly obtained weapons for the cartel, trained gunmen, and oversaw forced recruitment. Castillo Rodríguez, El Mencho's former son-in-law, allegedly purchased large quantities of methamphetamine, paid for precursor chemicals, collected drug money, and coordinated cocaine and methamphetamine shipments into the United States.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said Pelón and the rest of CJNG’s leadership are now facing the full attention of the federal government:
"DEA has never been more focused on dismantling CJNG and bringing its leaders, members, facilitators, and corrupt enablers to justice. As one of the world’s largest narco-terrorist organizations, CJNG poses a serious threat to the United States and our international partners."
The indictments follow the Treasury Department’s largest sanctions action ever against CJNG. On July 23, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned more than 50 individuals and companies tied to the cartel, freezing U.S.-based assets and blocking transactions involving the designated parties.
Treasury exposed the brazen depth of CJNG's financial operation. Front businesses included a baby shoe company, gas stations, a furniture company, a private security firm, agricultural businesses, and tequila and liquor operations. The cartel was hiding in plain sight behind the most mundane storefronts imaginable. One money-laundering network collected bulk drug proceeds from U.S. cities and funneled tens of millions of dollars back to Mexico every year, starting in 2023.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions were aimed at the people and businesses keeping CJNG’s operation running:
"President Trump has made clear that terrorist cartels will be dismantled. Today’s action strikes Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion’s leadership, financiers, and criminal networks, denying the cartel the resources it uses to traffic fentanyl, terrorize communities, and threaten American lives."
CJNG was formally designated a foreign terrorist organization in February 2025, a designation that made the current legal pressure possible. With El Mencho dead, his successor carrying a $25 million price on his head, and five more senior figures facing possible life sentences, Trump has made clear this isn't a one-off operation. It's a sustained campaign, and CJNG's new leadership would be foolish to think the pressure is letting up anytime soon.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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