Mexican Fentanyl Manufacturer for Sinaloa Cartel Pleads Guilty in US Court

Hernán Geovani Ojeda Elenes, 48, of Culiacán, admitted to producing metric tons of fentanyl and importing it into the US. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Producer Admits to Years of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking

A 48-year-old Mexican national from Culiacán has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl for importation into the United States, as well as conspiracy to distribute listed chemicals for the unlawful importation of a controlled substance, DOJ Justice News reports.

Hernán Geovani Ojeda Elenes admitted in court that he procured fentanyl precursor chemicals — including 4-Piperidone and N-Phenylpiperidin-4-amine — by purchasing them from Chinese companies and shipping them to a laboratory in Mexico. He and his associates then imported the finished fentanyl into the United States for further distribution and sale. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ojeda Elenes was responsible for the manufacture and distribution of several metric tons of the drug.

According to court documents, the operation ran from at least 2019 to 2024. Ojeda Elenes worked alongside his father and co-defendant, Hernán Domingo Ojeda López, and others, to run a drug trafficking organization based in the state of Sinaloa.

Officials: operation fed addiction "from coast to coast"

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said Ojeda Elenes had manufactured and imported "enormous quantities of fentanyl often using precursor chemicals obtained from China, which contributed to the opioid epidemic poisoning our communities." Duva added that the case "sends a clear message: no matter where they operate, those who manufacture and then traffic deadly drugs into our country will be relentlessly pursued, prosecuted, and brought to justice."

Associate Chief of Operations Brian Clark of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Pacific Southwest Region 5 described Ojeda Elenes as someone who "architected the poisoning of Americans by manufacturing fentanyl on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel," adding that he "fueled addiction from coast to coast, harming our communities."

Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston said that "fentanyl manufacturers like Ojeda Elenes leave death and devastation in communities across the United States."

Transfer from Mexico under national security law

The guilty plea was accepted by District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ojeda Elenes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The court will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ojeda Elenes was transferred from Mexico to the United States in January 2026 pursuant to Mexico's National Security law, with significant assistance from the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs. The Department of Justice acknowledged the Government of Mexico for its cooperation in securing his presence in the United States for prosecution.

The case is being investigated by the DEA and HSI. Trial Attorneys Erik Cervantes and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting.

Part of broader Homeland Security Task Force initiative

The case falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), an interagency initiative established by Executive Order 14159, aimed at eliminating criminal cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. The task force coordinates the efforts of multiple federal law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate, and prosecute the full range of crimes committed by such organizations.

Source: DOJ Justice News