More than 20 accused of narcotics trafficking in San Antonio, Austin on behalf of Mexican-based cartel

A six month federal project concluded with the arrests this week of more than 20 people in San Antonio and Austin who are accused of distributing drugs for a Mexican-based cartel, officials said.

The arrests were made over the past two days as part of Project Python, a nationwide operation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration aimed at disrupting the operations of the New Generation Cartel of Jalisco, known as Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

Six people were arrested in San Antonio and charged by a federal grand jury with conspiring to distribute cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other narcotics. They are Johnathan Andrew Chapa, 33; Roger Diaz, 34; John David Medrano, 24; Julian Jimmy Gonzalez, 34; Deandra Lee Garcia, 30; and Ashley Lorraine Ruiz, 26.

In Austin, 18 other people were charged by a federal grand jury for their roles in narcotics trafficking.

Over the next two weeks, each person will see a U.S. magistrate judge who will determine their pretrial detention status. If convicted, they each face a punishment of either five to 40 years in prison, or 10 years to life, officials said.

“The arrests made in Austin and San Antonio were part of a coordinated nationwide enforcement operation undertaken by the Department of Justice and DEA targeting elements of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in the United States. The CJNG is a violent drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation of ton quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine across the United States,” Steven S. Whipple, DEA special agent in charge, said in a statement.

Local, state and federal authorities seized more than 70 pounds of meth, 2 pounds of heroin, 250 grams of cocaine and $13,000 in assets.

The cartel was designated one of the most dangerous transnational criminal groups by the DEA after President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13773 in February 2017. The order was aimed at dismantling cartels operating in the U.S..

On Wednesday, the Justice Department and the DEA announced the end of Project Python, which resulted in more than 600 arrests, 350 indictments and a significant seizure of money and drugs.

Authorities said a superseding indictment on charges of continuing criminal enterprise was filed against the cartel’s leader, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”

According to the indictment, the cartel maintains a close alliance with another criminal group known as “Los Cuinis.” Investigators said the two groups are responsible for transporting drugs into the U.S., as well as carrying out numerous acts of violence including murder, kidnapping and torture.

An award of $10 million is being offered for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho, authorities said.

In February, Cervantes’ son Ruben “Menchito” Oseguera Gonzalez, who is also the alleged second in command of the cartel, was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on charges of drug trafficking and firearm use in relation to drug trafficking.