Brother of cartel leader "El Mencho" gets 22.5 years in prison

Washington — The brother of the slain prominent cartel leader known as "El Mencho" was sentenced on Friday to 22.5 years in prison, after he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and firearms offenses, the Justice Department said.

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, 67, worked for cartels with his brother Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, or El Mencho, who was killed by the Mexican army in February.

Antonio Cervantes, also known as "Tony Montana," pleaded guilty in July to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine for importation into the U.S. He also pleaded guilty to using, carrying and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.  

El Mencho co-founded and led the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, also known as CJNG. Last year, the Trump administration designated the CJNG and other cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

"For more than two decades, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes helped fuel one of the world's most dangerous drug trafficking organizations, flooding America's communities with deadly drugs while enriching himself and his associates," said Tysen Duva, the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Criminal Division, in a statement.