JUAREZ, MEXICO/EL PASO, TX – The ghosts of 2010 are finally being called to account. Two alleged leaders of the Barrio Azteca gang, a violent organization with deep ties to the Juarez Cartel, are now in U.S. custody after being extradited from Mexico. Eduardo Ravelo, also known as Tablas, Tablero, and T-Blas, and Enrique Guajardo Lopez, also known as Kiki, arrived stateside February 20th and appeared in federal court in the Western District of Texas. They stand accused of participating in the brutal murders of three U.S. Consulate employees in Juarez, a crime that sent shockwaves through both countries.
The pair were named in a 12-count third superseding indictment unsealed back in March 2011, but remained just beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement until now. Ravelo, once featured on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted list, allegedly wielded significant power within the Barrio Azteca, directing operations and ordering violence. The indictments don’t stop at the consulate murders; the pair and 33 other BA members and associates are accused of a litany of crimes including racketeering, narcotics trafficking, intimidation of informants, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and, of course, murder.
“The defendants allegedly participated in the murder of three U.S. Consulate employees in Mexico in March 2010, along with many other acts of senseless violence,” stated Antoinette T. Bacon, Supervisory Official with the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No U.S. citizen, on either side of our border with Mexico, should have to live in fear of Barrio Azteca, any other violent border gang, or any drug cartel.” The extradition, officials say, is a firm statement that the U.S. will relentlessly pursue those who threaten its citizens, even across international lines.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas emphasized the importance of this case. “The extradition and U.S. custody of these two defendants, who are both alleged to be members of Barrio Azteca operating along the border, is essential to our mission of disrupting and dismantling these dangerous criminal organizations,” she said. “This U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute Ravelo and Guajardo throughout this case for their alleged participation in the 2010 Consulate murders and other gang related activity.”
Federal agencies are touting the operation as a major victory, but the road to justice is far from over. Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, noted the FBI’s unwavering commitment to accountability: “These extraditions demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to holding violent criminals accountable, no matter where they flee.” The DEA, through Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz, echoed this sentiment, vowing to pursue all members of violent criminal organizations threatening American lives. “DEA never forgets and we never give up,” Maltz stated.
Of the 35 individuals initially charged in the 2011 indictment, 10 were Mexican nationals, including Ravelo and Guajardo. Their arrival on U.S. soil marks a significant, though long-delayed, step toward closure for the families of the victims and a clear message to transnational criminal organizations: the reach of U.S. justice is long, and borders offer no sanctuary. The cases against Ravelo and Guajardo are expected to proceed swiftly, promising a brutal reckoning for their alleged crimes.
Related Federal Cases
- Nicholas Ochs, Capitol Riot Participation, Texas, 2022 · Texas
- Guillermo Morales, Poly-Drug Trafficking, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Ruben Menace Reyes, Multiple Murders, TX 2024 · Mississippi
- Jesus Alanis, Marijuana Trafficking, Texas 2014 · Connecticut
- Odessa La Familia MC Members, Cocaine Distribution, Texas 2016 · Texas
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Organized CrimeOrganized CrimeOrganized CrimeOrganized Crime