Leader of MS-13 and Mexican Mafia Gets 17+ Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking
A prominent figure in the MS-13 gang and Mexican Mafia has been sentenced to over 17 years in a U.S. federal prison. Last week, the court ruled that he was responsible for moving more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine each month, acting on behalf of the violent international gang.
Between 2018 and May 2020, Nelson Alexander Flores, 52, based in Tijuana, Mexico, coordinated the distribution of methamphetamine from various sources within Mexico. This illegal supply was then circulated across the United States on behalf of the MS-13 street gang and the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Flores, who goes by various aliases including “Mula,” “El 40,” and “Cuarenta,” received a 210-month sentence for his involvement in this international drug conspiracy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, in announcing the sentence, highlighted that the maximum penalty for the drug statute under Title 21 is life imprisonment and a fine of $10 million.
Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden remarked, “He imported these drugs into San Diego from Mexico, before they were sent to poison other communities throughout the United States. We were proud to partner with Joint Task Force Vulcan in this prosecution to fight back on behalf of the Southern District of California and our nation.”
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Nelson Alexander Flores, seen in a government exhibit photo, is part of the case United States v. Aguilar-Rivera, which was prosecuted in Ohio. (Justice Department)
The Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) Director, John Durham, pointed out that criminal organizations like MS-13 and the Mexican Mafia sustain their activities by dealing narcotics. “Mr. Flores played a key role in MS-13’s international drug operations by coordinating the importation and distribution of narcotics throughout the United States,” Durham explained. He added that this conviction marks a significant setback for these criminal networks.
Apart from his involvement in the Southern District of California case, Flores is also serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for his role in an MS-13 RICO case, to which he pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Ohio. The court decided that the imprisonment term for the California case will run consecutively with the one in Ohio.
Efforts to Combat MS-13 Continue
The Department of Justice established the Joint Task Force Vulcan in August 2019, with a comprehensive approach to combatting MS-13. The task force aims to enhance coordination with both domestic and international law enforcement partners, target priority MS-13 groups, and bring forth significant indictments against MS-13 leaders. This includes the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders.
The task force consists of members from various U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, along with divisions from the Department of Justice. Together, they work relentlessly to protect communities from the threat posed by transnational organized crime.
The battle against these criminal enterprises is ongoing, with concerted efforts to disrupt their activities and ensure the safety of communities across the nation.