Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez

Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez
Born (1976-10-11) October 11, 1976
Apatzingán, Michoacán, Mexico
Employer Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Criminal status Imprisoned
Spouse(s) Jessica Johanna Oseguera González
Relatives Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (father-in-law)

Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez (born October 11, 1976), commonly referred to by his alias Ojo de Vidrio (Glass Eye), is a suspected Mexican drug lord and former high-ranking leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a criminal group based in Jalisco. He is the son-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (alias "El Mencho"), the leader of the CJNG and one of Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. He was reportedly responsible for managing money laundering schemes for the CJNG.

In June 2015, he was arrested in Jalisco along with his brother-in-law Rubén Oseguera González (alias "El Menchito"), and imprisoned at the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1, Mexico's maximum-security prison. He was released a month later for lack of evidences. Mexican federal authorities re-arrested him in April 2016 for his alleged involvement in the CJNG.

Early life and career

Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez was born on October 11, 1976, in Apatzingán, Michoacán, Mexico.[1] He is nicknamed "Ojo de Vidrio" (Glass Eye).[2] He is married to Jessica Johanna Oseguera González, the daughter of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (alias "El Mencho"), the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and one of Mexico's most-wanted drug lords.[3][4] According to Mexican government sources, Castillo Rodríguez worked under Oseguera Cervantes as one of the CJNG's financial operators in the state of Jalisco.[5] He also reportedly led a group of hitmen for the CJNG.[6]

On October 27, 2016, the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Castillo Rodríguez under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (also known as the "Kingpin Act") for his alleged involvement in money laundering and/or international drug trafficking.[7] This sanction was a result of an investigation done by the OFAC and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in Los Angeles in an attempt to disrupt the inner circle of the CJNG and affect their finances in Mexico's domestic economy. He was accused of providing material assistance to Nemesio and Abigael González Valencia (alias "El Cuini"), the two leaders of the CJNG and Los Cuinis.[lower-alpha 1][9]

This sanction was also extended to eight more individuals: Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, businessman Fabián Felipe Vera López, attorney María Teresa Quintana Navarro, and five of González Valencia's siblings: Arnulfo, Édgar Edén, Marisa Ivette, and Noemí, and Elvis.[10] As a result, all of their U.S.-based assets were frozen. The act also prohibited U.S. citizens from engaging in transactions with them.[9]

2015 arrest

On June 23, 2015, Castillo Rodríguez was arrested by the Mexican Army and the Federal Police in the Lomas de Altamira neighborhood in Zapopan, Jalisco, along with his brother-in-law Rubén Oseguera González (alias "El Menchito"). The operation lasted about 20 minutes and no shots were fired. The officers entered the private neighborhood in several vehicles at around 2:15 a.m. CT and subdued the entrance guard. They then shot the security cameras with paintball guns to obscure them, destroyed several others, and asked the guard to cut the electricity power in the vicinity. As they were in the entrance booth of the neighborhood, the telephone ran but none of them answered. The guard was then asked to kneel down while the officers entered the neighborhood and apprehended Castillo Rodríguez, who was inside a vehicle with Oseguera González. Authorities confiscated several weapons, including 2 customized AR-15 assault rifles engraved with the insignias "CJNG 02 JR" and "Menchito".[11][12]

Castillo Rodríguez had a pending order of appearance in court and there was an open investigation against him for kidnapping and organized crime involvement.[13] Once in custody, he was taken to the SEIDO, Mexico's anti-organized crime investigatory agency, where he gave his statement and was interrogated by law enforcement.[14][15] He was later transferred to the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (also known as "Altiplano"), a maximum-security prison in Almoloya de Juárez, State of Mexico, along with Oseguera González.[16][17] Castillo Rodríguez was charged with using ammunition of exclusive military use, having five weapons of exclusive military use, carrying a firearm without a license, and organized crime involvement.[lower-alpha 2][17]

Release

On July 1, 2015, a federal judge from the State of Mexico ordered Castillo Rodríguez's release after concluding that the evidences against him were insufficient and that his due process was violated at the moment of his arrest and after he was in custody.[19][20] The judge stated that when he was arrested in June, the officers did not have an arrest warrant against him and entered the private property without legal authorization. He also stated that the detainee was in custody for 9 hours and without a lawyer before he was sent to the justice department.[21] When the judge considered that authorities had failed to prove that he was involved in organized crime, he was released from prison.[22][23]

2016 arrest

Shortly before midday on April 6, 2016, Mexican federal authorities headed to Providencia neighborhood in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in several vehicles.[24][25] When they arrived at the property they were looking to raid, they cordoned the area and entered the building through the front entrance while a helicopter flew over the vicinity. Neighbors stated that other federal agents surrounded the property through the rear and climbed the back walls from other properties.[25] The helicopter then descended at the golf course of the Guadalajara Country Club, where three military vehicles later arrived.[26]

At the scene, officials arrested Castillo Rodríguez and two of his companions, Édgar Ernesto Moreno Barragán and José Antonio Rodríguez Contreras.[27] It was a joint arrest conducted by the Mexican Army, Navy, the Mexican National Security Commission and the Office of the General Prosecutor (PGR);[28] no single shot was fired in the operation and authorities did not consider that the arrest created a risk situation.[29] About 50 officers participated in the operation.[30] Investigators seized four assault rifles, one which was equipped with a grande launcher, and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, similar to the one the CJNG used to shoot down an Army helicopter in 2015.[31] In a bulletin, the government stated that Castillo Rodríguez was responsible for coordinating money laundering schemes and other illegal activities for the CJNG, and that the arrest marked an important step in disrupting the financial, operational, and public relations structure of the criminal group.[32]

After his capture, Mexican authorities patrolled several areas in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area to prevent an aggressive response from the CJNG. The municipal police travelled in groups of three to five vehicles, while the Mexican National Gendarmerie and the military patrolled the streets with a helicopter as backup.[33] Castillo Rodríguez and his two companions were then transferred to the SEIDO installations in Mexico City.[34] The evidence seized at the scene was also transferred to Mexico City for the PGR to investigate.[35]

On October 20, 2016, Castillo Rodríguez's wife issued a writ of amparo to prevent her arrest and deposited $MXN24,000 in bond insurance. This request was submitted through an appeal court in Jalisco. She had previously issued another writ of amparo against the National Banking and Securities Commission after the PGR froze her bank accounts as part of an investigation.[36] She owned a sushi restaurant chain in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, a rental cabin business in Tapalpa, and a tequila company in Tepatitlán;[lower-alpha 3] investigators believed that she was laundering money for the CJNG through these businesses.[39][40] Two months later, on December 30, 2016, an appeal court denied her writs of amparo.[40]

See also

Sources

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Abigael González Valencia was arrested on February 28, 2015, in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.[8]
  2. ↑ A detainee in possession of at least five weapons of exclusive use from the Mexican Armed Forces is charged with acopio de armas.[18]
  3. ↑ Other sources state that the tequila company is based in Guadalajara and co-owned by a lady named Paloma Novoa Gómez.[37][38]

References

  1. ↑ "Additional Designations, Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act" (PDF). Office of Foreign Assets Control. November 1, 2016. pp. 1–2. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ Mosso, Rubén (April 6, 2016). "Detienen a yerno de 'El Mencho'" (in Spanish). Milenio. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ "El Menchito a un paso de su libertad". Zeta (in Spanish). February 21, 2017. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Recapturan al operador financiero del cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación" (in Spanish). Univision. April 7, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Detienen en operativo conjunto a integrante de grupo delictivo en Jalisco" (in Spanish). Secretariat of the Interior (Mexico). April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Detienen a yerno de 'El Mencho' en Guadalajara" (in Spanish). Mexico City: Excélsior. April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211: Additional Designations, Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act". Office of Foreign Assets Control. November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ Vicenteño, David (March 2, 2015). "Marina detiene a operador del cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación" (in Spanish). Excélsior. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Treasury Sanctions Individuals Supporting Powerful Mexico-Based Drug Cartels". United States Department of the Treasury. October 27, 2016. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017.
  10. ↑ Lastri, Diana (October 27, 2016). "Incluye EU en 'lista negra' a hermano y cuñado de 'El Mencho'" (in Spanish). El Universal (Mexico City). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Militares encapuchados capturaron a 'El Menchito'". El Informador (in Spanish). June 23, 2015. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Capturan a El Menchito, uno de los líderes del cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación" (in Spanish). Univision. June 23, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  13. ↑ Dávila, Patricia (June 23, 2015). "Recapturan a 'El Menchito', hijo del líder del CJNG" (in Spanish). Proceso (magazine). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  14. ↑ "'El Menchito' quedó libre; pero lo recapturan por desaparición de personas" (in Spanish). UN1ÓN Jalisco. El Universal (Mexico City). July 1, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  15. ↑ Méndez, Alfredo; Martínez, Fabiola (June 24, 2015). "Detienen de nuevo a El Menchito, hijo del líder del cártel Jalisco Nueva generación". La Jornada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ Mosso, Rubén (July 2, 2015). "Confronta 'El Menchito' a Poder Judicial con PGR" (in Spanish). Milenio. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  17. 1 2 "'El Menchito': Las pifas de la PGR" (in Spanish). Zeta (magazine). July 6, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Acopio de Armas" (PDF) (in Spanish). Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. October 1994. p. 273. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2017.
  19. ↑ Barajas, Abel (July 2, 2015). "Libera jueza a El Menchito, pero la PGR lo vuelve a retener" (in Spanish). El Sur de Acapulco. Reforma. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  20. ↑ Jaramillo, Abraham (July 1, 2015). "La PGR recaptura a 'el Menchito' por nuevos cargos" (in Spanish). CNN. Expansión (Mexico). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Nota Informativa: Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez" (PDF) (in Spanish). Mexico City: Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. July 1, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2017.
  22. ↑ Yánez, Israel; Garduño, Javier (July 2, 2015). "Liberan a El Menchito, pero lo vuelven a retener" (in Spanish). 24 Horas. Archived from the original on March 15, 2017.
  23. ↑ Garduño, Javier; Rodríguez, José Víctor (June 14, 2015). "Capturan a El Menchito por tercera vez en año y medio" (in Spanish). Diario 24 Horas. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015.
  24. ↑ Reza M., Gloria (April 6, 2016). "Recapturan a yerno de 'El Mencho'" (in Spanish). Proceso (magazine). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  25. 1 2 "Sorprende operativo en Providencia; aprehenden al yerno del 'Mencho'" (in Spanish). El Informador (Mexico). April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Recapturan a yerno de 'El Mencho'" (in Spanish). Liberal del Sur. April 7, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  27. ↑ García, Octavio (April 6, 2015). "Detienen fuerzas federales al operador financiero del Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación". MVS Comunicaciones (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Detienen a yerno del 'Mencho'" (in Spanish). Zeta (magazine). April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  29. ↑ Madrid, Lemuc (April 6, 2016). "Reaprehenden al yerno de "El Mencho" en Jalisco" (in Spanish). TV Azteca. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Atrapan a yerno de El Mencho en Guadalajara" (in Spanish). Guadalajara: Quadratín. April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Fuerzas federales reaprehenden a yerno de 'El Mencho'" (in Spanish). El Financiero. April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Fuerzas federales mexicanas capturan al yerno del líder del Cártel Jalisco" (in Spanish). Terra Networks. Agencia EFE. April 7, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Reaprehenden al yerno del Mencho en Guadalajara" (in Spanish). El Diario de Guadalajara. April 7, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Yerno de 'El Mencho' declara en la SEIDO" (in Spanish). El Universal (Mexico City). April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  35. ↑ "México: Cae yerno de líder del Cártel Jalisco". WWSI (in Spanish). Telemundo. April 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  36. ↑ Martínez, Jorge (October 20, 2016). "Hija de Nemesio Oseguera 'El Mencho' se ampara para evitar ser detenida". Milenio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  37. ↑ "CJNG and Los Cuinis: Drug Trafficking Organizations" (PDF). Office of Foreign Assets Control. September 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Marcas de tequila de envasado de origen certificadas por el Consejo Regulador de Tequila" (PDF) (in Spanish). Tequila Aficionado Media. September 17, 2013. p. 63. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Hija de "El Mencho" tramita amparo". Un1ón Jalisco (in Spanish). El Universal (Mexico City). October 22, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
  40. 1 2 Lastiri, Diana (December 30, 2016). "Niega juez amparo a la hija de 'El Mencho'". El Universal (Mexico City) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 28, 2017.
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