United States authorities have dealt another blow to organized crime following the guilty plea of Erick Valencia Salazar, alias 'El 85', one of the founders of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). He admitted his responsibility for drug-related crimes in a federal court. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Mexican drug lord accepted a charge for conspiracy to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, with full knowledge that the drugs would be illegally introduced into U.S. territory between 2003 and 2018. By pleading guilty, Valencia Salazar avoids a prolonged trial, which could translate into legal benefits at the time of his sentencing. Currently, 'El 85' remains confined in a federal center in Philadelphia, awaiting the final hearing scheduled for next July 31, 2026, where his sentence will be defined, which could range from 10 years in prison to life imprisonment. U.S. authorities detailed that Valencia Salazar played a central role in consolidating the CJNG as one of the most violent and internationally far-reaching criminal organizations. According to court documents, the cartel co-founder: recruited new members to strengthen the criminal structure, used intelligence to locate and eliminate rivals, facilitated territorial control in various regions of Mexico, and coordinated the shipment of large cocaine shipments to the United States. Before founding the CJNG, he was also part of the Millennium Cartel, where he was in charge of distributing high-powered weapons, including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, among organization hitmen.
