Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Siblings Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, leaders of the La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM) drug cartel, have been indicted on charges of manufacturing and distributing heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl with the intent of importing these substances into the United States. The indictment was unsealed by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia. Both brothers are considered fugitives and believed to be in Mexico.
Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga was previously designated as a Consolidated Priority Target by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program. Sanctions have been placed on the Hurtado Olascoaga siblings by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The U.S. Department of State has classified LNFM as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and announced a reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the Hurtado Olascoaga brothers, with up to $5 million for Johnny and $3 million for Jose Alfredo.
Franco Tabares Martinez, another member of the LNFM cartel, faces charges related to methamphetamine trafficking. His sister Guadalupe Tabares Martinez, based in Mableton, Georgia, has been indicted for international money laundering.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “Today’s indictments and OFAC sanctions against high-ranking LNFM cartel members sends a clear message: if you contribute to the death of Americans by peddling poison into our communities, we will work relentlessly to find you and bring you to justice.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. emphasized the impact of these actions, saying, “These cartel members are allegedly responsible for importing massive amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl from Mexico to the Atlanta area and across the United States, and then wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds from distributing those drugs back to Mexico.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent reinforced, “Today’s action underscores our commitment to intensify the pressure on violent drug cartels like LNFM, who continue to traffic deadly fentanyl and other drugs, smuggle illegal aliens over our Southwest border, and attack law enforcement.”
President Trump's initiative to reduce the flow of drugs into the U.S. is reflected in the rewards offered for capturing the Hurtado brothers, emphasized by Senior Bureau Official F. Cartwright Weiland, who said, “President Trump has promised to crack down on the flow of deadly drugs into our country.”
Jae W. Chung of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the investigation highlighting, “Cases like this exemplify the value of partnerships.”
Steven N. Schrank from Homeland Security Investigations stated, “The indictment of senior leaders of this brutal Mexican cartel and subsequent OFAC sanctions makes one thing clear, we are coming after these criminal networks and utilizing every weapon in our arsenal.”
These indictments are part of an extensive investigation initiated in 2021, involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) against LNFM cartel members.
The investigation into the Tabares family revealed their involvement in drug distribution and money laundering operations tied to the cartel. Notably, Guadalupe Tabares Martinez was identified for her role in using her money service business to transfer drug proceeds.
The government stresses the importance of assuming innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court for all indicted parties.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative focused on eradicating cartels and protecting communities from violent crime. The endeavor is managed by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force Initiative, aimed at dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
The public is encouraged to learn about drug dangers through resources provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Contact information and educational links are available for those seeking further details on the case and ongoing initiatives against drug trafficking and related crimes.
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