SAN ANTONIO — A former leader of a drug cartel has pleaded guilty to 15 drug trafficking-related counts, according to court documents.
42-year-old Juan Gerardo Trevino-Chavez, aka Huevo, pleaded guilty in a San Antonio federal court on Tuesday.
Trevino-Chavez has been identified as the leader of the Cartel del Noreste drug cartel (CDN), which is the successor cartel to Los Zetas Cartel. He was reportedly the leader from Sept. 2016 to his arrest in March 2022.
His 15 counts are related to his involvement in drug trafficking throughout Mexico and Texas.
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to all 11 counts in an indictment filed in the Western District of Texas. These counts include:
- one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana
- one count of conspiracy to import marijuana
- one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substance
- one count of conspiracy to employ a person under 18 in drug operations
- one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
- one count of conspiracy to import cocaine
- one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine
- one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking
- one count of possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- one count of money laundering
He additionally pleaded guilty to the four counts charges in an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Texas:
- one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
- one count of continuing criminal enterprise
- one count of smuggling goods from the United States
- one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering
Trevino-Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025. He faces up to life in prison.
