A Mexican citizen, Norma Flores-Fernandez, also known as "Norma Camarillo," has admitted to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine in the United States. Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced that Flores-Fernandez pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court.
Flores-Fernandez was involved with a drug trafficking organization based in Guadalajara, Mexico. This group distributed large quantities of narcotics across the United States from March 2018 to December 2019. She acknowledged having a leadership role within this conspiracy.
The charge carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, with a maximum potential sentence of 40 years and a fine up to $5 million. Sentencing is set for July 23, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Customs and Border Protection for their roles in the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The DEA's efforts were directed by Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons in Chicago and Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, along with Director of Field Operations Lafonda Sutton-Burke in Chicago.
Additional assistance came from DEA agents operating in Lima, Peru, Guadalajara, Mexico; Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago; officials from Mexico; and substantial support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for securing Flores-Fernandez's arrest and extradition.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a coordinated multi-agency approach.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit represents the government, while Michael Rubas serves as defense counsel for Flores-Fernandez.