Rafael Caro Quintero, a 72-year-old criminal mastermind, has been sought after by United States law enforcement agencies for decades. In fact, he has been listed as one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals since 2018. Upon being placed on this list, the FBI offered a $20 million dollar reward for any information leading to the criminal kingpin’s capture.
Now that he’s in U.S. custody, prosecutors are seeking out the death penalty.
Quintero first captured the attention of United States law enforcement agencies when he gained status in a Guadalajara cartel. He became the leader of this branch before joining the Sinaloa cartel, the largest drug trafficking organization in the world. He quickly became known as the “Narco of Narcos,” and became a heavy transporter of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana across South America and into the U.S.
As a result of his gang and drug related activities, Quintero caught the attention of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. At some point, the suspect’s profitable marijuana plantations were hit by a drug raid, and the gang blamed the DEA agent Camarena for coordinating the hit. In an act of alleged retaliation, Quintero plotted out the murder of Camarena, who was heavily tortured before he passed away. This 1985 slaying is the same death that’s dramatized in the recent Netflix series “Narcos: Mexico.”
The suspect is pleading not guilty to all charges, while federal prosecutors mull over the possibility of seeking out the death penalty in this case. Even if the death penalty isn’t sought after, Quintero’s charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison if he’s convicted.
Currently, the suspect’s family has declined to hire legal representation for Quintero. He will continue to receive court-appointed legal representation.
Gang Related Crimes
In general, any criminal charges you face will ultimately be upgraded if it’s determined that the actions were motivated by a gang or related to gang activity. For instance, when you’ve been accused of committing a felony offense and a judge or jury determines the crime was committed for the benefit of or at the discretion of a criminal street gang, New York gang enhancement laws allow an additional prison sentence to be added to your sentence. With misdemeanor charges, gang involvement is typically seen as an aggravated factor.
Aggravated factors lead to longer sentences, higher sentencing ranges, and harsher overall penalties.
All that said, it’s imperative that you seek out quality legal representation if you’ve been accused of committing a crime in New York and there’s a chance that it could be perceived as gang related. Here at Bukh Law Firm, our team of skilled attorneys are specifically qualified to handle drug charges and other potential crimes that could be linked to a gang.
Schedule a free, confidential call with our team here at Bukh Law Firm to discuss your situation in more detail with our team. Together, we’ll work on determining your best course of action based on your circumstances.
