A member of the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel (CJNG) has pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking and money laundering charges in Alabama. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona after Juan Francisco Castaneda, also known as “Pariente,” entered his plea on October 28, 2025, following two days of trial testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala.
Castaneda, 44, admitted guilt to all counts in the superseding indictment, which included conspiring to traffic fentanyl, conspiring to commit money laundering, and distribution of fentanyl in the Birmingham and Homewood area.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Castaneda managed his drug trafficking and money laundering operations using contraband phones while serving multiple life sentences for murder at Bullock Correctional Facility in Alabama. He used a network of couriers and local businesses as fronts to distribute fentanyl and collect proceeds from drug sales. Undercover investigations revealed that hundreds of thousands of dollars were laundered through these networks to CJNG sources in Mexico.
Court documents indicated that Castaneda had previously pleaded guilty to involvement in a 2008 multi-homicide in Shelby County related to cartel debt.
“Cartel activity has no place in Alabama. Those who traffic dangerous drugs in our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations that endanger our communities. I commend our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication in bringing this defendant to justice.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer commented: “This case delivers a decisive blow against the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel (CJNG) and their ruthless network operating in Alabama. CJNG is responsible for flooding our communities with deadly amounts of fentanyl and using criminal schemes, like money laundering from within prison, to fuel their enterprise. This guilty plea is a clear victory for public safety and a testament to the fact we will use every resource available to neutralize these transnational criminal organizations and hold every one of their operators, from the streets to the cartel leadership, fully accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank of Homeland Security Investigations stated: “This case underscores the devastating impact of transnational criminal organizations like the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel have on our communities. Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantling these dangerous networks, disrupting their operations, and bringing their members to justice. Through collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to leverage every resource to protect the American people from the scourge of fentanyl trafficking and the criminal enterprises that fuel it.”
As part of his plea agreement, Castaneda agreed to forfeit $700,000.
Sentencing is set for January 8, 2026.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance is life imprisonment; conspiracy to commit money laundering carries up to 20 years.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Hoover Police Department, Birmingham Police Department, Bessemer Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Carson Gilbert are prosecuting.
This prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion—a government-wide effort aimed at eliminating criminal cartels such as CJNG operating inside the United States.
