Mexican cartel member sentenced to 10 years for drug trafficking in Georgia

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( U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia)

ATLANTA - A Mexican cartel member who helped traffic methamphetamine and cocaine into Georgia has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

What we know:

Pablo Tabares-Martinez, 50, was sentenced Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. His prison term will be followed by five years of supervised release.

Federal authorities said Tabares-Martinez was a mid-level member of La Nueva Familia Michoacana, a violent Mexican cartel responsible for trafficking massive quantities of drugs into the United States. The group has been linked to the annual distribution of roughly 12 tons of methamphetamine, 13 tons of opioids including fentanyl and heroin, and 18 tons of cocaine across the country.

Authorities said that on November 16, 2021, Tabares-Martinez arranged the sale of one kilogram of methamphetamine to a buyer in the Atlanta area. After the deal, he followed up to confirm the drug’s quality.

In 2022 and 2023, federal agents said Tabares-Martinez and other cartel members organized a cocaine smuggling route from Colombia to Atlanta, moving up to 150 kilograms. He was arrested in March 2023 by local law enforcement while in Guatemala inspecting the shipment. He was extradited to Georgia in November and has remained in federal custody since.

( U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia)

What they're saying:

"This case sends a strong message to cartel members who transport deadly drugs destined for the Northern District of Georgia: we will find you and bring you here to face justice," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "The successful extradition and prosecution of Tabares-Martinez reflect my office’s commitment to eliminating dangerous cartels that seek to introduce drugs into our community."

"This investigation demonstrates DEA’s commitment to protecting our communities," said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "DEA remains focused on keeping America safe by removing dangerous drugs from our communities and bringing criminals to justice."

Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, credited collaboration among agencies for the conviction.

"We will relentlessly pursue and dismantle cartels and criminal organizations that threaten our communities with deadly drugs," Schrank said. "The extradition and conviction of Pablo Tabares-Martinez... is a direct result of the unwavering dedication of HSI and our law enforcement partners to eradicate these dangerous criminal organizations from our society."