Two brothers with deep ties to the notorious Mexican cartel Cartel de Jalisco Nuevo Generación (CJNG) have been locked away for a combined 70 years in federal prison, following convictions on methamphetamine and money laundering charges. U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton announced the tough sentences for Pedro Hernandez Zarate, 45, an illegal Mexican national, and his brother Ricardo Hernandez Zarate, 33, a legal resident.
The brothers were charged in March 2021 and both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Pedro’s sentence was handed down on Thursday, a 30-year term that includes a 40-year concurrent sentence for drug charges and a 20-year concurrent sentence for money laundering. Ricardo had previously been sentenced in November 2022 to 40 years.
According to court testimony, Pedro facilitated the transfer of nearly 112 liquid gallons of methamphetamine, worth over $9.9 million on the street, from Dallas to Oklahoma. The liquid meth was seized in Gainesville, Texas, after being transported in a tractor trailer’s diesel tank.
Ricardo served as a cell head in the Dallas area, importing meth from suppliers in Mexico and selling it as “shaved ice” in kilogram quantities throughout Texas. Elmer Gardea Tello, another co-defendant, was previously sentenced to 55 months for his role in the drug trade.
Eight additional defendants have entered guilty pleas in the case, with sentencing pending. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office led the investigation, receiving support from numerous local and federal agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, IRS Criminal Investigation, DEA Dallas Strike Force 1, and various police departments. This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, established to combat illegal drug trafficking and its associated crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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