CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors have thrown the book at Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, alias ‘El Musico,’ the alleged head of a violent Sinaloa Cartel faction. El Musico stands accused of orchestrating a terror campaign across the US, importing hundreds of kilograms of drugs and waging war against law enforcement.
The superseding indictment, returned in the Northern District of Illinois, paints a grim picture of El Musico’s reign of terror. He allegedly assumed control of the Beltran Leyva faction after its top brass met their demise or faced arrest. With his new power, El Musico and his cronies continued the drug trade using any means necessary, including attacks on rivals, military personnel, and cops.
The charges, which carry a life sentence if convicted, stem from Executive Order 14157 that declared the Sinaloa Cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization. El Musico is also accused of arming his gang with high-powered weaponry, paying off corrupt officials, and perpetrating kidnappings and assaults.
At 50 years old, El Musico now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Despite the severity of these charges, he remains at large, and authorities are seeking to bring him into custody.
This indictment is part of Operation Take Back America, an aggressive initiative targeting cartels and criminal organizations. It’s a stark reminder that the Department of Justice will not tolerate such activities.
Leading the charge are Andrew S. Boutros, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Adam Gordon, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The government is committed to dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting American communities.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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