Two members of the Gulf Cartel previously convicted in connection to dozens of kidnappings received a prison sentence of 1,650 years. Both men were based in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, during the kidnapping spree.
On Wednesday, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office announced the sentences against Christian Josué Galván Hernández and Santiago Betancourt Mora. Both men are currently being held in a high-security federal facility in Durango. A federal judge based in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, handed down the sentences against the two cartel members.
In the case of Galvan Hernandez, he had been tied to 66 kidnappings and several weapons charges. In comparison, Betancourt Mora was directly tied to 9 kidnappings, as well as various weapons and drug charges.
According to federal prosecutors, Mexican federal police officers arrested the two men in September 2013 while patrolling the city. The officers spotted the two gunmen going into a house. Authorities raided the house and found several kidnapping victims inside. Inside the house, authorities also found several weapons and packages of marijuana.
As Breitbart Texas reported, Reynosa is considered the bastion of the Metros faction of the Gulf Cartel. Historically, the criminal organization has been able to operate with much impunity. The cartel focuses on drug and human smuggling and the widespread use of extortion and kidnappings to diversify their income.
Since late April, the Metros have been at war with a rival faction from Matamoros called Escorpiones. For months, both factions have been carrying out numerous large-scale shootouts with complete impunity and minimal interference from Mexican authorities, Breitbart Texas reported.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.