SAN DIEGO – Jorge Campos-Oliva, aka “Peluda,” an extradited Guatemalan national, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison on charges of international cocaine distribution conspiracy. According to public documents, Campos-Oliva was identified as part of a multi-year proactive wiretap investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations targeting high-level cocaine traffickers operating in northwest Guatemala and their suppliers. The investigation offered one of the most comprehensive views of the inner workings of cocaine trafficking in Guatemala, which sits between South American cocaine producers and Mexico-based drug cartels.In public documents, Jorge Campos-Oliva admitted that he participated in the distribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine between at least 2017 and 2020 through a drug trafficking organization based in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The cocaine Jorge Campos-Oliva distributed was then further distributed to drug trafficking organizations in Huehuetenango, Guatemala or South Mexico and ultimately to the United States. During the wiretap, agents intercepted thousands of messages, including numerous photos of cocaine bricks, such as the ones shown below. Indeed, Campos-Oliva admitted to distributing at least 2,000 kilograms of cocaine during his participation in the conspiracy. In July 2020, Campos-Oliva was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine intended for unlawful importation into the United States, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. He was arrested on August 31, 2021 in Guatemala pursuant to an extradition request from the United States. On February 10, 2022, he was extradited to the United States. One month after he was extradited from Guatemala, on March 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued treasury sanctions against the Los Huistas Drug Trafficking Organization (“DTO”) and some of its leaders. Based on extensive wiretap intercepts, Jorge Campos-Oliva distributed cocaine to Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez (charged in 20CR2242-DMS), who in turn offered that cocaine to a leader in Los Huistas.“The Department of Justice will aggressively pursue high-level drug traffickers who earmark multi-ton quantities of cocaine for the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of the offense.” “This significant sentencing demonstrates HSI’s commitment to investigating and dismantling transnational criminal organizations around the world,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “This HSTF investigation disrupted the organization’s ability to transport ton quantities of cocaine into the United States and safeguarded our communities.”In sentencing Campos-Oliva today, U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw found that Campos-Oliva was an organizer/leader in the conspiracy, which involved extensive “coordination” in a “multi-ton” cocaine trafficking conspiracy that defendant operated with his brother. Sentencing for the brother, Fabio Campos-Oliva, aka “Black Chivita,” who was separately charged in a related indictment, is scheduled for May 1, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Sabraw.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice