A federal grand jury in Pennsylvania has accused 35 people of crimes related to drugs, conspiracy, and money laundering, claiming they were part of a drug operation within the U.S. and internationally.
The U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Western District of PA revealed on January 8 that these individuals faced charges in a four-count Second Superseding Indictment.
Two of them were accused of violating federal “Kingpin” laws for leading the operation, which included large quantities of various drugs. Eight others were charged with money laundering.
According to the indictment, between August 2021 and June 2023, the Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization (Monarrez DTO) brought in millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico.
They used shipping containers to transport the drugs and distributed them across the United States.
The drugs were further distributed and sold in various locations, including Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Wichita, Kansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cleveland, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Western Pennsylvania, and more.
Prosecutors claim that the leaders of the operation, Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza and Marcos Monarrez, Jr., acquired drugs in Mexico using U.S. cash, military-grade assault rifles, pistols, ammunition, and vehicles.
Monarrez, Jr. is also accused of paying another person to commit violent acts, such as drive-by shootings.
Monarrez, Jr. and other members are alleged to have continued operating the Monarrez DTO even while in custody at the Cambria County Prison in western PA. Authorities state that during his incarceration, Monarrez Jr. oversaw the distribution of approximately 500,000 fentanyl pills and kilogram quantities of fentanyl powder.
Overall, authorities claim that the Monarrez DTO was involved with 120 kilograms or more of fentanyl and 150 kilograms or more of methamphetamine.
“The latest charges in this case are a direct result of the dedication and ceaseless resolve of the prosecutors in our office, who, alongside our many dedicated federal, state, and local investigative partners, will continue to do everything in our collective power to shut down deadly narcotics traffickers—even when, as alleged, they seek to ply their criminal trade from inside the walls of a jail,” stated U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
If the Monarrez DTO members mentioned in the legal charges are found guilty, they might receive sentences ranging from 20 years to life in prison. The final sentence would depend on how severe the crimes are and the defendants’ past criminal records, if they have any.
You may find a complete online list of defendants along with their charges here.
