Charly Cruz-Jimenez, 40, a Mexican national with deep ties to organized crime, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine distribution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota confirmed the sentence today.
The investigation into Cruz-Jimenez’s activities began when law enforcement arrested one of his customers, Nicholas Horak, in 2022. After obtaining Cruz-Jimenez’s phone number from Horak’s device, law enforcement used it to connect with Cruz-Jimenez and set up an undercover operation.
From October 2021 to March 2022, Cruz-Jimenez sold 32 to 34 pounds of methamphetamine to Horak. Over the next 16 months, the undercover officer, posing as a buyer, engaged in 15 separate drug transactions with Cruz-Jimenez, who repeatedly supplied large quantities of meth. During these transactions, Cruz-Jimenez admitted to his involvement in both the Sureños gang, a violent prison gang, and the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo), a major drug trafficking organization operating in Mexico.
Cruz-Jimenez was apprehended after illegally reentering the United States in August 2023 by crossing the Rio Grande into Texas. Once inside, he continued to discuss methamphetamine deals with the undercover officer, signaling an increase in the scale of future purchases.
Before his transfer to Minnesota for sentencing, Cruz-Jimenez had been charged and pleaded guilty to illegal reentry in the Southern District of Texas.
The 25-year sentence is part of a broader effort by U.S. law enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and prevent the spread of illegal substances across the U.S.
Conspiracy and Trafficking Details Throughout his communications with law enforcement, Cruz-Jimenez made it clear that his operations were deeply tied to the Gulf Cartel, and he used his connections to procure and distribute methamphetamine on a large scale. The cartels operate both in the U.S. and Mexico, using violence and intimidation to maintain control over their drug supply chains.
Cruz-Jimenez’s sentence sends a strong message to others engaged in similar activities. His criminal enterprise spanned multiple states and included dangerous criminal organizations, making his case one of high importance to authorities working to fight the trafficking of illegal drugs in America.
The long prison sentence serves not only as a punishment for Cruz-Jimenez but also as a deterrent to others considering a life of crime in association with dangerous drug cartels.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota will continue its efforts to dismantle criminal drug trafficking networks and to hold individuals accountable for their role in distributing methamphetamine and other illegal substances.
