Border Patrol agents spotted a single Hispanic male walking along the side of FM 170 in the city of Presidio, Texas in August 2023.
When the authorities approached the man, they assumed he was a Mexican national who had illegally crossed the border. They requested identification, which he provided. However, upon inspection, they discovered that the man was actually a U.S. citizen who had entered the country illegally by crossing the river instead of using the port-of-entry.
The authorities took the man into custody and transferred him to a detention facility where they uncovered the complete truth about his identity.
La Menchaca
Federal agents knew Sergio Menchaca Pizarro as “La Menchaca,” who headed the operations of the La Linea cartel in Ojinaga, Mexico. La Linea is a branch of the Juarez Cartel, serving as its enforcement unit.
A federal judge has denied release to La Menchaca and ordered him to be held on charges of illegal entry and trafficking. This decision will grant federal agents the necessary time to thoroughly investigate La Menchaca’s complete involvement in the cartel.
The indictment for involvement in organized crime, marijuana trafficking, and human smuggling named Pizarro and other high-ranking members of La Linea cartel operations in Ojinaga.
Small Potatoes
According to Howard Campbell, an expert on Mexican cartels who spoke with Marfa Public Radio, there are varying levels and hierarchies of power within organizations like the Mexican cartels. Although Pizarro was a cartel leader, he was considered “small potatoes” in comparison to the cartels operating in other Mexican border cities.
According to Campbell, the arrest of the leader in that specific border town is significant, but it won’t have any impact on a national level. “He’ll be replaced,” he added.
The Mass Grave & Guilty Plea
According to a confidential source, within a month of Pizarro’s arrest, the Dallas Morning News reported that the cartel kingpin had cooperated with authorities by providing crucial information that led to the discovery of a concealed mass grave in Mexico. The grave was tentatively connected to the disappearance of a group of migrants two years ago.
La Menchaca entered a guilty plea on June 28th for an organized crime offense commonly known as the “Kingpin Statute.” This particular statute is typically used for prosecuting individuals involved in drug trafficking organizations at a high level.
In September, Pizarro is set to attend his sentencing hearing. If a federal judge deems him to be a principal organizer in the operation, the leader of La Linea, who is often referred to as “small potatoes,” could face a life sentence.