CJNG Cartel Boss Owns Ranch Near Hemet, CA — Tenant Evicted, Residents in Fear

The new leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel owns a ranch near Hemet, California. A former tenant has been told to leave, and local residents say they are alarmed.

Cartel Leader's Secret California Ranch Empties Out as Hemet Neighbors Sound the Alarm

A horse trainer who rented a nearly five-acre property in Hemet, California — owned by the newly installed boss of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — says he was told to vacate two to three weeks ago and has since moved his animals to a nearby piece of ranchland. NY Post Metro first reported the story, revealing that Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, 41, purchased the ranch for $250,000 in 2011; it has since tripled in value and is now the subject of a federal seizure attempt.

Valencia Gonzalez, who goes by the aliases "El Pelón," "Bimbo," and "R-3," took over the CJNG earlier this year after his stepfather, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, died from wounds sustained during a firefight with Mexican soldiers in February. Oseguera was buried in a gold-colored casket. The U.S. Department of State has designated CJNG a Foreign Terrorist Organization and is offering a $25 million reward for information leading to Valencia Gonzalez's capture or conviction.

The tenant, who identified himself only as Hector, described making monthly cash payments of $1,500 to the cartel leader's uncle, who lives in Southern California. "I paid the rent cash to his uncle," Hector told The Post. "I can't say much because I don't want to put myself in a dangerous position." He added that he had rented the property for roughly three years without incident before receiving the order to leave. "The uncle told me to leave two or three weeks ago. It's been tough. Maybe they're in a bad situation but I don't know what it is."

Hemet sits about 80 miles east of Los Angeles in Riverside County's San Jacinto Valley. The area is historically agricultural, with semi-rural outskirts characterized by horse ranches and farmland — a setting that neighbors describe as quiet and tight-knit.

A nearby resident named Christian, who declined to give his last name, said the news had unsettled the entire neighborhood. "It's scary," he told The Post. "We were shocked when we heard. This is a very quiet area. Everyone minds their own business. It's hard to believe that anyone from the cartels would be here." A second neighbor told the outlet the community would be "paying more notice to strangers in the area and keeping our doors locked," adding: "How are these bad people allowed to own property here?"

Valencia Gonzalez is a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen who grew up in Orange County. He stands 5'9" and weighs 170 pounds. According to the Department of State, CJNG "is among the most violent and dangerous narco-terrorist organizations in our Hemisphere, and poisons American communities with illicit fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine." The DEA describes the group as "one of the most prolific and dangerous drug cartels in Mexico."

His family ties run deep within the cartel structure. His mother, Rosalinda González Valencia, was married to El Mencho and was associated with the "Cuinis," the financial branch of the Jalisco Cartel. His biological father, Armando Valencia Cornelio, founded the Milenio Cartel in the 1970s. Valencia Gonzalez is the half-brother of El Mencho's three surviving children; two of El Mencho's daughters are reported to live near Hemet as well.

Within the cartel, Valencia Gonzalez rose through the ranks to lead "Grupo Elite," the organization's armed wing, before ascending to the top position. Federal authorities are now pursuing legal action to seize the Hemet property. Valencia Gonzalez remains a fugitive.

Source: NY Post Metro