**Primary Article:**
**Sinaloa Drug Lord “Don Neto,” Seeks Freedom at 94**
Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, better known as “Don Neto,” a key figure in the now-defunct Guadalajara Cartel, is requesting early release from his prison sentence. At 94 years old, Fonseca Carrillo is nearing the end of his 40-year sentence for the 1985 murders of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Salazar and Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala Avelar. His sentence is set to conclude on April 7, 2025.
Fonseca Carrillo has made a legal appeal, seeking the commutation of his sentence, which could allow his early release based on time served and work completed during incarceration. However, his request is facing bureaucratic hurdles. A judge from the District Court in Mexico City has refused to process his appeal on jurisdictional grounds and has passed the case to a higher court.
**Who is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo?**
Born on August 1, 1930, in Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo rose to prominence as one of the founding leaders of Mexico’s first major drug trafficking organization, the Guadalajara Cartel, alongside Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero. His arrest in 1985 led to confinement in various high-security prisons across Mexico. Since July 2016, Fonseca Carrillo has been under house arrest due to his advanced age and health issues. His daughter Yoanna Carrillo has reported that he suffers from numerous health conditions, including severe vision problems and cancer.
Despite no longer being active in the narcotics trade, authorities remain cautious about the potential for Fonseca Carrillo to reconnect with criminal networks upon release. In 2017, he was required to pay a substantial indemnity to the families of his victims, highlighting the long-lasting impact of his criminal activities.
**Secondary Article:**
**The Legacy of the Guadalajara Cartel and “Don Neto’s” Role**
Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo’s influence as a co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel has left an indelible mark on the history of drug trafficking in Mexico. The Guadalajara Cartel was instrumental in revolutionizing how drugs were trafficked from Mexico to the United States, becoming a blueprint for future cartels.
During its peak, the cartel engaged in substantial cocaine trafficking along with marijuana and poppy cultivation. This led to escalating violence with law enforcement, culminating in the kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena, which prompted a significant crackdown by Mexican and American authorities.
Following his capture in Puerto Vallarta, Fonseca Carrillo was sentenced for his role in these high-profile crimes, illustrating the Mexican government’s intensified efforts to combat organized crime. Despite significant success in disrupting the Guadalajara Cartel, the organization’s disintegration led to the emergence of new, fragmented trafficking groups, which have continued to plague the region with violence and illegal trade.
This complex narrative of crime and justice continues to unfold as Fonseca Carrillo seeks freedom, raising questions about the reintegration of aging criminals and the ongoing battle against narcotics trafficking in Mexico.