Ceferino Espinoza Angulo, a 43-year-old associate of the Sinaloa Cartel, is facing serious charges following a Chicago grand jury indictment. Accused of manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, heroin, and other illicit substances, Angulo is also charged with firearm offenses. The indictment alleges Angulo oversaw the production and importation of these drugs into the United States, employing a significant number of armed individuals in Mexico to safeguard key figures within the cartel, specifically members of the "Chapitos" faction, which includes the sons of notorious drug lord "El Chapo."

The Justice Department underscores the gravity of these charges, highlighting Angulo's alleged involvement in securing precursor chemicals for fentanyl production. He also faces accusations of conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and import various narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy into the U.S. Furthermore, Angulo is charged with the illegal possession of a machine gun. Authorities emphasize the administration's commitment to combating the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs from Mexican cartels into American communities.

Currently believed to be residing in Mexico, Angulo is the subject of a U.S. arrest warrant. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment. This indictment comes after the conviction and life sentence of "El Chapo," whose sons, the "Chapitos," allegedly assumed control of the cartel's operations and face their own drug trafficking charges. Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquin Guzmán López, two of the "Chapitos," are reportedly engaged in plea negotiations with the U.S. government. These developments follow extensive indictments unsealed in 2023 targeting numerous Sinaloa Cartel members, including the aforementioned brothers, as part of a major fentanyl trafficking investigation. This ongoing investigation underscores the complex and persistent challenges posed by international drug trafficking operations.