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Alleged cartel boss found guilty of conspiracy leading to 300 deaths Alleged cartel boss found guilty of conspiracy leading to 300 deaths
(about 3 hours later)
His lawyer described Marciano Millan Vasquez as nothing more than a humble goat rancher. A jury disagreed on Tuesday, concluding that he was a regional boss for the Zetas drug cartel involved in a murderous conspiracy that lead to the deaths of more than 300 people in northern Mexico.His lawyer described Marciano Millan Vasquez as nothing more than a humble goat rancher. A jury disagreed on Tuesday, concluding that he was a regional boss for the Zetas drug cartel involved in a murderous conspiracy that lead to the deaths of more than 300 people in northern Mexico.
After a brief deliberation, the jury found Millan Vasquez guilty of all ten charges he faced. After a brief deliberation, the jury found Millan Vasquez guilty of all 10 charges he faced.
The two-week trial took place in federal court in San Antonio, the city where Millan Vasquez was arrested last year. He now faces life in prison.The two-week trial took place in federal court in San Antonio, the city where Millan Vasquez was arrested last year. He now faces life in prison.
The counts included possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, killing while engaged in international drug trafficking, employing minors in drug operations and providing false identification to US authorities.The counts included possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, killing while engaged in international drug trafficking, employing minors in drug operations and providing false identification to US authorities.
The prosecution alleged in a court document that between the start of 2009 and July 2015, in Texas and Mexico, “Vasquez, while engaged in drug trafficking offenses, caused the intentional killing of various individuals.”The prosecution alleged in a court document that between the start of 2009 and July 2015, in Texas and Mexico, “Vasquez, while engaged in drug trafficking offenses, caused the intentional killing of various individuals.”
US prosecutors pursued Vasquez for alleged crimes that took place in Mexico on the basis that they had jurisdiction given the international impact of the murders and trafficking.US prosecutors pursued Vasquez for alleged crimes that took place in Mexico on the basis that they had jurisdiction given the international impact of the murders and trafficking.
Millan Vasquez denied the accusations and his defence said that his lack of a criminal record in Mexico indicated his good character. Court documents indicate he was arrested in Mexico in 2013 on suspicion of planning to sell marijuana and for possession of AK-47 assault rifles, but he was cleared by a tribunal.Millan Vasquez denied the accusations and his defence said that his lack of a criminal record in Mexico indicated his good character. Court documents indicate he was arrested in Mexico in 2013 on suspicion of planning to sell marijuana and for possession of AK-47 assault rifles, but he was cleared by a tribunal.
His attorney, Jaime Cavazos, called character witnesses who testified that Millan Vasquez was a “good father”, while Cavazos told the court that his client “had a small ranch in Mexico where he bought and sold pigs, goats and farm animals”, KSAT local news reported.His attorney, Jaime Cavazos, called character witnesses who testified that Millan Vasquez was a “good father”, while Cavazos told the court that his client “had a small ranch in Mexico where he bought and sold pigs, goats and farm animals”, KSAT local news reported.
But a witness testified last week that Millan Vasquez was the Zetas cartel leader in Piedras Negras, a Mexican border town 150 miles from San Antonio, and personally hacked a six-year-old girl to death with an axe in front of her parents, the San Antonio Express-News reported.But a witness testified last week that Millan Vasquez was the Zetas cartel leader in Piedras Negras, a Mexican border town 150 miles from San Antonio, and personally hacked a six-year-old girl to death with an axe in front of her parents, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
He then ordered her parents killed, and more than a dozen others, and forced the witness to watch as punishment for a lost shipment of drugs, according to testimony.He then ordered her parents killed, and more than a dozen others, and forced the witness to watch as punishment for a lost shipment of drugs, according to testimony.
After a senior Zetas member began cooperating with US authorities in 2011, the cartel tried to root out his associates and other potentially disloyal members.After a senior Zetas member began cooperating with US authorities in 2011, the cartel tried to root out his associates and other potentially disloyal members.
In a roundup of men, women and children, some of them in fact unconnected with the drug trade, cartel figures killed more than 300 people in northern Mexican towns and burned their bodies in barrels of acid or with diesel fuel, according to an informant’s testimony reported by the Express-News. When the man asked about a missing teenager, he said he was told, “We just finished cooking him.”In a roundup of men, women and children, some of them in fact unconnected with the drug trade, cartel figures killed more than 300 people in northern Mexican towns and burned their bodies in barrels of acid or with diesel fuel, according to an informant’s testimony reported by the Express-News. When the man asked about a missing teenager, he said he was told, “We just finished cooking him.”