EL PASO, TX – Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 39, of Mexico, stands accused of being the first person ever federally indicted for providing material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The bombshell indictment, unsealed Friday in the Western District of Texas, alleges Navarro-Sanchez not only supplied the cartel with grenades, but actively participated in a sprawling criminal enterprise involving alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash laundering, and narcotics distribution – all to benefit CJNG’s deadly operations.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi didn’t mince words, stating, “Cartels like CJNG are terrorist groups that wreak havoc in American communities and are responsible for countless lives lost in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere.” The Justice Department, Bondi affirmed, remains “unwavering” in its commitment to border security and prosecuting those who aid these organizations. The charges against Navarro-Sanchez are particularly significant given the recent designation of CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Department of State on February 20th, unlocking harsher penalties and broadened investigative powers.
Court documents detail a conspiracy in which Navarro-Sanchez allegedly worked with others to provide grenades directly to CJNG. Beyond the explosive hardware, she faces charges of conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens into the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, conspiracy to engage in bulk cash smuggling, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The feds aren’t stopping with Navarro-Sanchez. Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, also of Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens and firearms trafficking. Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, of Mexico, faces charges of straw purchasing, firearms trafficking, and drug conspiracy.
The CJNG is no mere drug cartel, officials warn. The organization controls a massive share of the narcotics trade, maintains a presence across Mexico and in dozens of other nations, including the United States, and is known for brutal tactics. The State Department reports CJNG has launched attacks on Mexican military and police with military-grade weaponry, deployed drones to drop explosives on law enforcement, and carried out assassinations – or attempted assassinations – of Mexican officials. The cartel doesn’t just move drugs; it extorts migrants, taxes smugglers, and launders money with impunity.
This case arrives on the heels of President Trump’s directive to the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue the “total elimination” of cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The President views these groups as existential threats to U.S. security, contributing to an unstable border and fueling violent crime. The administration insists that these organizations are responsible for massive flows of illegal immigration and a surge in narcotics and firearms trafficking.
The investigation remains ongoing, and federal authorities are signaling a heightened focus on dismantling CJNG’s infrastructure and holding accountable anyone who provides it with support. Navarro-Sanchez, Davalos-Lopez, and Castro-Medina all face significant prison time if convicted. The unsealed indictment serves as a stark warning: aiding a designated terrorist organization, even across international borders, carries severe consequences. The full indictment can be found here.
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Weapons|Human Trafficking|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Press Release
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