Georgia inmate gets 25 years for running cartel ring from prison
Georgia inmate ran criminal empire from prison
A Georgia inmate was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison Wednesday for directing a massive weapons and drug trafficking operation linked to a Mexican cartel from behind bars.
ATLANTA - A Georgia inmate was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison Wednesday for directing a massive weapons and drug trafficking operation linked to a Mexican cartel from behind bars.
What we know:
Servando Corona Penaloza, an illegal immigrant already serving time in a Georgia state prison, used contraband cellphones to turn his cell into a "command and control center," according to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg.
Authorities said Penaloza directed people on the outside to buy high-powered firearms, distribute drugs, and launder money for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The operation involved more than 220 firearms, including a .50 caliber machine gun capable of taking down small aircraft. While agents intercepted about 120 weapons, they believe at least 100 more reached Mexico.
In addition to the weapons, Penaloza was responsible for distributing more than a ton of methamphetamine and over 300 kilograms of fentanyl. A federal judge ordered him to serve a 25-year federal sentence. That sentence is in addition to his previous state charges.
What we don't know:
While federal officials have detailed the scope of the enterprise, they have not yet released the specific identities of all 17 individuals involved in the case.
It also remains unclear how the contraband cellphones used to facilitate the international criminal network were smuggled into the state prison.
By the numbers:
The ATF reported that the 220 weapons linked to the operation are valued at more than $700,000.
Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons said these are "weapons of choice" for cartels to advance drug trafficking through violence.
The drug seizures were equally significant, as the DEA noted that the amount of fentanyl involved remains one of the greatest public safety threats in the country due to its potency and low cost.
What's next:
Federal authorities stated that Penaloza has been previously deported and will face deportation again once his time in prison is completed.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Tyler Fingert, who attended a press conference at the ATF Atlanta Field Office, as well as statements from U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, the ATF, and the DEA.