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Laurencio Montes, Money Laundering, Texas 2012
LAREDO, Texas – Laurencio Montes, 43, also known as 'Yeyo', has been sent to federal prison for his role in the laundering of millions of drug proceeds by Los Zetas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Montes, considered to be an organizer, entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds on October 30, 2012. He was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo. A final order of forfeiture was further ordered in the amount of $6 million against him.
Laurencio Montes was identified as a co-conspirator who recruited truck drivers to transport bulk cash drug proceeds for the Organization and coordinated the cash deliveries from the Chicago area to Laredo totaling approximately $6 million. He is one of the six defendants to be convicted and sentenced in Laredo relating to this indictment.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Lou Castillo. Montes is just one of the many defendants to be sentenced in this case, with other co-defendants including Jose Luis Gonzales, Nelson Casarez, Josue Alejandro Salinas, Miguel Santos, David Villarreal, and Jose Vasquez all receiving sentences ranging from 60 to 108 months in prison.
Jose Luis Gonzales, 28, who was determined to be a minimal participant in the conspiracy, received a 60-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court entered a final order of forfeiture against Gonzales in the amount of $2,999,319.
The investigation revealed that the Los Zetas cell laundered drug proceeds for the Zeta drug trafficking organization. The organization shipped multiple loads of cocaine from Mexico to major distribution centers in the United States, including Chicago, Philadelphia, and Dallas. Agents had identified a Los Zetas cell leader of a significant money laundering organization based in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
A total of approximately $21 million was seized from various tractor trailer drivers, other couriers and stash homes in the Texas and Illinois which was destined to be transported into Mexico for delivery to the Zeta drug trafficking organization.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Organized Crime|Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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