WASHINGTON – An alleged Mexican kingpin the White House called “one of the most evil cartel leaders in the world,” who is charged with killing a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in 1985, was among dozens of suspects extradited to the U.S. after a decades-long battle to bring him to justice.
Rafael Caro Quintero is accused of torturing and murdering DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. He was among 29 alleged cartel members Mexico sent to the U.S. after President Donald Trump threatened the country with 25% tariffs and demanded better border security and more cooperation on drug enforcement in exchange for pausing the tariffs.
All the suspects face maximum life sentences, with some, including Caro Quintero, facing the death penalty.
“The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Friday that labeled Caro Quintero “one of the most evil.”
Vice President JD Vance plans to travel to the southern border Wednesday, the day after Trump makes a speech before a joint session of Congress, to speak about border security.
Other major suspects who were extradited include:
- Martin Sotelo is accused of participating in the 2022 murder of Wake County Deputy Sheriff Ned Byrd in North Carolina. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on federal charges and could face the death penalty on state charges.
- Antonio Oseguera Cervantes is accused of helping lead the Cartel of Jalisco’s New Generation. Cervantes, also known as “Tony Montana,” was indicted in 2023 on charges he conspired to distribute five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine for importation into the United States from January 1998 until December 2022. He faces a potential life sentence.
- Ramiro Perez Moreno and Lucio Hernandez Lechuga are allegedly high-ranking members of the Los Zetas cartel. They face life sentences.
The U.S. had longstanding extradition requests for many of the suspects hadn’t previously been honored, according to the Justice Department. However, the Mexican government transferred them to the U.S. after Trump signed an executive order designating cartels as terrorist organizations.
Prosecutors will determine which of the suspects could face the death penalty under another Trump executive order, Justice officials said.
“As President Trump has made clear, cartels are terrorist groups, and this Department of Justice is devoted to destroying cartels and transnational gangs,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
Acting DEA Administrator Derek Maltz said Caro Quintero’s arrival meant the most because he spent four decades atop the agency’s list of most wanted fugitives.
“This moment is extremely personal for the men and women of DEA who believe Caro Quintero is responsible for the brutal torture and murder of” Camarena, Maltz said in a statement. “Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable.”
