A prominent figure in the Sinaloa Cartel has received a 28-year prison sentence for transporting heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine to Alaska, which is increasingly becoming a target for drug traffickers aiming to enhance their distribution networks, federal prosecutors reported on Friday.

Miguel Baez “Javi” Guevara managed to avoid capture by U.S. authorities for a decade following a major indictment in Arizona. He subsequently sought refuge in Mexico, where he expanded his operations to send large amounts of drugs into the United States. Mexican immigration officials deported him back to the U.S. in 2021 after he was indicted by a grand jury in Alaska.

Guevara had previously pleaded guilty to various charges, including ongoing criminal activity and conspiracy to distribute drugs in January, according to the Department of Justice. The Sinaloa Cartel, which was co-founded by the notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, used deceptive social media profiles and encrypted messaging apps to recruit couriers in Alaska.

Prosecutors allege that Guevara directed these couriers on how to smuggle drugs back to Alaska, where they were compensated for their efforts. The drugs were then distributed throughout various localities in Alaska.

Because of Alaska’s remote nature, it is challenging to access many areas, leading to less competition among criminal organizations, allowing traffickers to sell drugs at significantly inflated prices and reap larger profits, prosecutors noted.

“All drug dealers know they can profit more from selling drugs in Alaska,” said James Klugman, the chief of federal criminal prosecutions for Alaska’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, in comments to the Louisville Courier-Journal, a part of the YSL News NETWORK.

Numerous federal agencies have been engaged in efforts to disrupt the cartel’s fentanyl distribution within the U.S., culminating in the imprisonment of El Chapo and the arrest of his son and co-founder in July.

In this Alaska case, three others have already been sentenced: Joel Rascone is facing 120 months in prison, Serena Joseph is serving 63 months, and Washahiotha Zaragoza has been sentenced to 18 months. Prosecutors believe that Javier Armando Alvarez Pinuelas, Jazmin Adriana Olivares, Daniel Rodriguez Montoya, and Juanita Salazar are still in hiding in Mexico.

Cartel’s Focus on Alaska Resulting in Community Harm

Guevara entered the authorities’ radar following an indictment in Arizona in October 2014 for drug-related, financial, and weapon charges. After being released on $50,000 bail, he escaped to Mexico and continued his cartel activities until he was indicted again in Alaska on February 21, 2020. He was arrested and sent back to the U.S. by Mexican officials from the National Institute of Immigration on September 10, 2021.

The 2020 indictment revealed that Guevara focused on recruiting Alaskan women as couriers, paying for their travel with prepaid debit cards, and compensating them with cash, heroin, and meth. These female couriers traveled with male supervisors who instructed them on how to navigate airport security.

Guevara himself never entered the U.S., fully aware of his outstanding federal and state warrants, as stated in the indictment.

“Guevara would send associates to Alaska to gather drugs from couriers and to distribute large amounts to local street dealers,” the indictment specified. “Local buyers would contact Guevara through encrypted apps to request specific drug quantities. Guevara acted as the logistics coordinator and arranged meetings between his associates and local distributors.”

Members of the operation used coded language and aliases to evade law enforcement, as mentioned in the indictment, which dates back to around 2016, according to prosecutors.

Cartels smuggled drugs into Alaska through various means including vehicles, mail, body concealment, small ferries, planes, and sometimes alongside food in shipping containers. They targeted remote communities with limited police presence.

Guevara played a significant role within the cartel and resorted to violence to distribute drugs across Alaska, causing harm to numerous communities, according to David Reames, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Seattle Field Division.

The surge in drug trafficking has substantially contributed to rising overdose death rates in Alaska, particularly among Alaska Natives and American Indians, as reported by the Courier-Journal.

Law enforcement managed to disrupt Guevara’s operations, confiscating 7.1 kilograms of meth, approximately 10 kilograms of heroin, and 900 grams of cocaine intended for Alaska, according to the Justice Department. Guevara’s activities generated millions in drug sales, which were ultimately funneled back into Mexico.

U.S. Challenges Claims of Guevara’s Reformation

Prior to sentencing, several individuals submitted letters to the court expressing sympathy for Guevara, referring to him as “Brother Miguel,” and praising his positive influence, devotion to his faith, and professionalism.

However, U.S. prosecutors disputed claims that Guevara had distanced himself from violence. They recount an incident where an Alaskan woman was shot in the knee at Guevara’s request after he accused her boyfriend of stealing drugs. Initially treated in Mexico, she was later moved to the U.S. for continued medical care, according to prosecutors.

“Guevara boasted to other couriers about the shooting, shared pictures, and warned them against stealing from him,” prosecutors noted. “He even celebrated the incident on Facebook and contacted the victim afterwards.”

Attorneys argued that despite Guevara’s participation in several rehabilitation programs, imprisonment was essential due to his extensive criminal history. U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline ultimately sentenced him to 28 years in prison, which will coincide with any other sentence he may receive.

Federal authorities have made efforts to impede the growth of the Sinaloa Cartel in the United States for numerous years, culminating in a significant development with the arrest of El Chapo in 2019. El Chapo has been sentenced to life in prison, plus an additional 30 years, since his incarceration in 2019. Recently, on July 26, his son, Joaquín Guzmán López, alongside co-founder Ismael Zambada García, was apprehended in Texas after exiting a private aircraft.

Contributors: Beth Warren, Courier Journal; Thao Nguyen, YSL News.