FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007 (202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888

Statement of Attorney General Alberto

R. Gonzales on Extradition of 15
Mexican Drug Traffickers and Other
Criminals
"The actions overnight by the Mexican government are unprecedented in their scope
and importance. Never before has the United States received from Mexico such a
large number of major drug defendants and other criminals for prosecution in this
country, including Osiel Cardenas Guillen, the accused chief of the notorious Gulf
Cartel. We recognize the bold stance of President Felipe Calderon and his
government in targeting the drug-related violence and corruption that affects both
our nations."

A listing of the individuals that the Mexican government extradited to the United
States overnight is below.

1) Osiel (Oziel) Cardenas Guillen was indicted in the Southern District of Texas on
charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and the distribution of
large quantities of marijuana, and, further, with assaulting and threatening to murder
an FBI agent, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent, and a local
sheriff’s deputy who was working under the direction of the U.S. Customs Service
(now called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Cardenas is the leader of
the notorious Gulf Cartel, headquartered in Matamoros, Mexico, and responsible for
much of the hideous “narco-violence” at the Southwest border.

2) Ismael Higuera Guerrero, and

3) Gilberto Higuera Guerrero were indicted in the Southern District of California as

co-defendants in the Arellano-Felix drug cartel case, for racketeering (RICO), drug
trafficking and money laundering offenses. According to the indictment, Ismael
served as a chief lieutenant and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
cartel in Mexico, including the receipt of large shipments of cocaine and marijuana
followed by the importation of those shipments into the U.S., and the collection of
drug proceeds. Gilberto, according to the indictment, supervised the drug trafficking
from Mexicali, Mexico, receiving shipments from Tijuana, Mexico, and elsewhere,
importing those shipments into the U.S, and using kidnapping, torture, and murder
to enforce the cartel’s work.

4) Consuelo Carreto Valencia was indicted in the Eastern District of New York in a
trafficking in persons conspiracy, namely to smuggle Mexican women into the U.S.
to engage in prostitution in New York City and elsewhere. The women were
compelled by the use of physical violence, sexual assault, threats of harm and
deception to engage in prostitution. The defendant is charged with conspiring to
engage in sex trafficking, travel in aid of prostitution (the Mann Act), sex
trafficking, forced labor, conspiring to import aliens for immoral purposes, and alien
smuggling among other offenses.

5) Hector Palma Salazar was indicted in the Southern District of California in 1995
on charges of conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine.

6) Gilberto Salinas Doria was indicted in the Southern District of New York, along
with the former Governor of the State of Quintana Roo in Mexico, with conspiring
to import and conspiring to distribute more than 200 tons of cocaine into the U.S.
for delivery to New York City.

7) Jose Alberto Marquez Esqueda was indicted in the Southern District of California
as part of the Arellano-Felix drug trafficking organization, in conspiracies to import
and distribute marijuana and cocaine. Jose Alberto “Bat” Marquez worked as an
enforcer, bodyguard, and caretaker of the drug “stash” houses for the organization,
according to the indictment.

8) Gracielo Gardea Carrasco was indicted along with 31 others in the Los Tres de la
Sierra Organization, in the Western District of Texas, with the conspiracy to import
and distribute marijuana and the importation and distribution of marijuana in the
U.S. As alleged in the indictment, Gracielo Gardea Carrasco was primarily
responsible for overseeing the importation and distribution of marijuana from
Chihuahua, Mexico into Texas.

9) Miguel Angel Arriola Marquez was indicted in the District of Colorado with a
conspiracy to import cocaine and a conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to
distribute, as well as with conspiring to launder millions of dollars which
represented drug proceeds.

10) Alicia Gonzalez Cisneros was indicted in the Southern District of Texas
(McAllen) on charges of conspiring to possess more than 1,000 kilograms of
marijuana and the possession with the intent to distribute approximately 1,375
kilograms of marijuana.

11) Saul Saucedo Chaides was indicted in the District of Colorado with conspiracy
to distribute narcotics, a conspiracy to import narcotics, and with narcotics-related
money laundering.
12) Richard Matt is sought by the State of New York, town of North Tonawanda,
for entering a home, kidnapping, then beating the occupant to death.

13) Carlos Villanueva Garcia was charged in a criminal information in the state of
Washington (Franklin County) with murder in the second degree, namely by
stabbing his landlord and thereby causing his death.

14) Efrain Gonzalez Cisneros was indicted in the Southern District of Texas (Corpus
Christi) on charge of conspiracy with the intent to distribute large quantities of
marijuana and the possession with intent to distribute large quantities of marijuana
in 1999 and 2000.

15) Juan Ramon Morales Rodriguez was charged by the State of Texas (Ector
County) with aggravated kidnapping of two children and the sexual assault of one
of these children.

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