US court sentences Mexican drug lord to 25 years
April 3rd, 2012 - 11:50 am ICT by IANSSan Diego, April 3 (IANS/EFE) Mexican drug kingpin Benjamin Arellano Felix was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison by a federal court in San Diego after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors.
By pleading guilty to charges of racketeering and conspiracy to launder money, the 58-year-old Arellano Felix avoided a sentence that could have mounted as high as 140 years in jail.
US District Judge Larry Burns rejected the plea of Arellano Felix’s attorneys to discount from his sentence the nine years he spent behind bars in Mexico before being extradited to the US last year.
“If I had it within my power, I would impose a longer sentence,” the judge told Arellano Felix at Monday’s hearing.
Jesus Labra Aviles, another cartel kingpin, was sentenced in San Diego to 40 years in prison in 2010.
Besides having to do time, Benjamin Arellano Felix’s sentence obliges him to forfeit assets worth close to $100 million.
–IANS/EFE
rd
- US court sentences Mexican drug lord to 25 years - Apr 03, 2012
- Mexican woman becomes world's first female drug lord - May 03, 2011
- Man mistaken for drug cartel boss to sue government - Jan 24, 2011
- Former US Congresswoman's shooter pleads guilty - Aug 08, 2012
- Two drug tunnels found in Mexico - Jul 14, 2012
- Former Governor of Mexican State extradited to the US for involvement with the Juarez Cartel - May 11, 2010
- Mexican gets 60 years for drug massacre - May 21, 2010
- Mexico extradites former governor to US - May 10, 2010
- Mexico, China seal extradition treaty - Jun 12, 2012
- Mexican gangs using kids to smuggle drugs to US - Jan 09, 2012
- Mexican Supreme Court official held for links to drug cartel - Aug 13, 2012
- Over 200 kidnap victims killed in Mexico in 2010 - Feb 04, 2011
- 5 Bodies found hanging from bridges in Mexican city - Mar 01, 2011
- Vehicle hits Mexican envoy who was walking his dog - Feb 06, 2011
- 29 prison personnel held over Mexico massacre - Feb 24, 2012
Tags: 100 million, assets, attorneys, benjamin arellano felix, cartel, conspiracy, court sentences, district judge, drug lord, efe, jesus labra, larry burns, mexican drug kingpin, mexico, money, nine years, plea bargain, prosecutors, racketeering, san diego