Prairie State Wire

High-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel have been charged in a federal superseding indictment unsealed in East St. Louis, Illinois, for their alleged involvement in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine into southern Illinois and laundering the proceeds to Mexico.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “The Sinaloa Cartel relies on drug trafficking to finance its terrorism against the American people while spreading poison in our communities. Today’s indictment is a significant blow against this terrorist organization’s infrastructure as we carry out President Trump’s mission of dismantling and destroying the cartels.”

U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft added, “The Sinaloa Cartel is a vicious international criminal organization that spreads terror through intimidation, torture, and murder. The entire enterprise is financed through a drug distribution network that includes southern Illinois. Today’s superseding indictment targets some of the highest level of Sinaloa leadership demonstrating our commitment to use every possible tool to crush this cartel, dismantling its operations, and protecting our community from its narcoterrorism.”

DEA Administrator Terrance Cole commented on the scope of the operation: “Today’s announcement in the Southern District of Illinois is monumental in our fight to eliminate the Sinaloa Cartel. The extraordinary work of the St. Louis Field Division and their partners resulted in the seizure of nearly 800 pounds of fentanyl and exposed a money laundering network that pushed millions in cartel profits through U.S. banks. This is not a street-corner operation— it is a cartel pipeline that has flooded the Midwest with significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. We continue the fight, using all the resources of the United States government, to destroy the Sinaloa Cartel.”

According to authorities, over approximately one week federal agents arrested 15 defendants linked to the cartel as part of an ongoing nationwide investigation involving law enforcement partners across multiple states.

The charges come after President Donald Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on February 19, 2025. The designation was made under Executive Order 14157 signed January 20, 2025 by authority vested in him as president; Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this move which included eight organizations classified as FTOs and Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1189) and Executive Order 13224.

Federal prosecutors allege that between January 2020 and July 2025 twenty-six defendants participated in distributing more than fifty grams or more methamphetamine, over four hundred grams fentanyl and five kilograms or more cocaine through a supply chain originating from Mexico into southern Illinois.

Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale said: “Fentanyl is destroying lives and devastating communities across the country. Every pill, every powder, every shipment, every sale of this drug has the potential to take a life. Postal inspectors remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of this deadly drug in our mailstream and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our neighborhoods accountable.”

DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent Michael Davis emphasized cooperation: “We will not tolerate drug cartels smuggling their poison into our American communities… The DEA… works relentlessly to identify and arrest anyone engaging in manufacturing, distribution or sales…”

IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent William Steenson noted efforts at tracing illicit funds: “Drug traffickers will stop at nothing… IRS-CI’s special agents are experts at tracing funding sources… We’re committed to protecting our communities by investigating anyone involved… working with federal law enforcement partners…”

United States Marshal David C. Davis recognized collaborative law enforcement achievements: “This indictment illustrates reach… combating distribution… within Southern District Illinois through Sinaloa Cartel…”

This case falls under Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative utilizing organized crime task forces aiming for elimination of cartels along with transnational criminal organizations.

Multiple agencies including DEA St. Louis Division; IRS Criminal Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); U.S Postal Inspection Service; HSI’s Parole & Law Enforcement Programs Unit were involved.

Assistant U.S Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal; Laura Reppert; Thomas Leggans for Southern District Illinois are prosecuting.

Previously—in March 2023—the original indictment named Earl Frank among others for similar offenses related to trafficking conspiracy; several co-defendants have since pleaded guilty while others await sentencing or trial.

An indictment constitutes only an allegation—all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.