Four Arizona residents have pled guilty to federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges, dismantling a significant portion of an international criminal enterprise that smuggled massive amounts of illegal drugs into the United States.
Acting US Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the convictions, which are part of a larger indictment against 35 people involved in a drug trafficking organization (DTO).
The defendants, Marcos Monarrez Jr., Erivan Guerrero, Donald Garwood, and Jesus Aaron Garcia, all filed pleas before U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in late July or early August.
According to court filings, the group was in charge of transporting hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, millions of fentanyl pills, and kilograms of cocaine from a Mexican supplier to distributors around the country, including western Pennsylvania.
Leader Intercepted in Wiretap
Marcos Monarrez Jr., 26, of Phoenix, has been recognized as a co-leader of the Phoenix-based Monarrez DTO. Between September and November 2022, federal wiretaps intercepted Monarrez Jr. as he coordinated narcotics shipments and funneled drug proceeds back to Mexico. He also pleaded guilty to a related fentanyl distribution conspiracy charge filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. Due to the gravity of the charges, Monarrez Jr. faces a mandatory life sentence.
The remaining accused also played important roles in the scheme. Guerrero, 25, of Phoenix, was charged with both drug distribution and money laundering, utilizing bulk cash from drug sales to conceal the money’s origins and promote the criminal operation. Garwood, 43, of Glendale, and Garcia, 25, of Phoenix, were both intercepted on wiretaps while obtaining and distributing drugs. The three men risk life sentences and fines of up to $10 million.
The sentencings are set for late 2025, with Monarrez Jr. due for December 5 and the others on November 6.
This investigation, conducted by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, has resulted in guilty pleas from 26 people to date, with nine being sentenced. Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Tonya S. Goodman, both Assistant United States Attorneys, are prosecuting the case.
