Two alleged members of the Barrio Azteca gang have been extradited from Mexico to the United States to face charges related to the 2010 murders of U.S. Consulate employees in Juarez, Mexico. Eduardo Ravelo, known by aliases such as Tablas and T-Blas, and Enrique Guajardo Lopez, also known as Kiki, arrived in the U.S. on February 20 and appeared in court in the Western District of Texas.
The charges stem from a third superseding indictment unsealed in March 2011. "The defendants allegedly participated in the murder of three U.S. Consulate employees in Mexico in March 2010, along with many other acts of senseless violence," stated Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas emphasized the importance of their extradition: "The extradition and U.S. custody of these two defendants... is essential to our mission of disrupting and dismantling these dangerous criminal organizations."
Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division reiterated the agency's commitment: "These extraditions demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to holding violent criminals accountable, no matter where they flee."
Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz of the DEA added that "the extradition... brings us another step closer to justice for the victims of the 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez."
In total, 35 members and associates of Barrio Azteca were charged with various crimes including racketeering and narcotics distribution. Of those charged, ten Mexican nationals were specifically linked to the March 13, 2010 murders.
Ravelo and Guajardo are accused of participating in Barrio Azteca activities such as narcotics trafficking and violence both in Mexico and the United States. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment.
Their extraditions resulted from cooperation between U.S. law enforcement agencies and Mexican authorities. The case was investigated by multiple agencies including FBI El Paso Field Office, DEA Juarez Division, among others.
Trial Attorneys Jay Bauer and Christina Taylor from different sections within the Criminal Division are prosecuting alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer for Texas.
The case received significant support from various departments including New Mexico's U.S. Attorney’s Office and several law enforcement agencies across state lines.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.