The son of a high-ranking member of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel has been jailed after a police raid uncovered 42,000 fentanyl pills in an apartment.
Brian Jesus Zazueta, 23, is the son of Adolfo Zazueta-Bueno, a significant member of the Sinaloa cartel and was sentenced Wednesday to 13 years and four months in federal prison on drug dealing charges. He must also serve five years on probation after his release.
The Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful and notorious drug trafficking organizations, is one of the driving forces behind the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
“The defendant (Zazueta) comes from a large, prestigious family of drug dealers,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard in court documents. Zazueta-Bueno, formerly a resident of Pasco, is now a fugitive from justice in Eastern Washington and currently resides in Sinaloa, Mexico, according to prosecutors.
His son, Zazueta, of Sunnyside, is described in court documents as a mid-level manager of a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was responsible for distributing drugs in Spokane and across Eastern Washington.
As a U.S. citizen, Zezueta was able to travel freely between America and Mexico and was a leader and organizer for his father’s operation, acting as his “eyes and ears,” according to the DEA.
Newsweek has contacted the Department of Justice for comment via email.
On March 9, 2023, the DEA and the Spokane Police Department found Zazueta in a stash house in Kennewick, Washington, with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Law enforcement officials discovered $6,000 in cash, receipts documenting money transfers to Sinaloa, Mexico, and ledgers with details about drug transactions.
Zazueta entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine as part of a plea agreement, which led to the dismissal of charges related to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
“By targeting drug trafficking organizations, we disrupt the supply of deadly drugs that are causing harm in our neighborhoods,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Mr. Zazueta was responsible for an organization distributing a large amount of illegal narcotics.
Thanks to the excellent work by DEA, the Spokane Police Department, and federal prosecutors, Mr. Zazueta is headed to federal prison, and as a result, our communities are safer and stronger.”
“Mr. Zazueta sowed the seeds of despair in Eastern Washington while he reaped the profits of his methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin distribution,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.
“Thanks to the DEA, Spokane Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Zazueta learned that these actions had consequences, and the sentence in this case should make others pause before selling drugs that harm our communities.”
Border security and halting the flow of illicit narcotics into the country is a top concern for voters in the year’s presidential election.
Fentanyl overdoses have surged to become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45, according to the DEA. Over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.
Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to target the “entire global fentanyl supply chain.” She said China was starting to crack down on fentanyl precursor chemicals but needed to do more.
Former president Donald Trump has blamed the surge of fentanyl on the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid approved by the FDA for pain relief and anesthesia. It is about 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin in terms of pain-relieving effects.
