Juárez cartel 'heir' indicted in U.S.

Adriana M. Chávez / El Paso Times
Posted: 01/05/2011 08:20:45 AM MST

An alleged leader of La Linea, or the Juárez drug cartel, is on U.S. soil after being indicted on 12 counts of drug possession and distribution and money laundering.

A federal grand jury indicted Julio Porras-Chávez, also known as Alejandro Alquisira and "El General," in October. He was arrested soon after and is being held at the Otero County Prison Facility without bond. According to Porras-Chávez's indictment, federal prosecutors allege he and several others whose names are redacted on the indictment conspired together to import large amounts of cocaine and marijuana into the U.S. since 2002. Mexican media have reported Porras-Chávez is one of the "heirs" of the Juárez cartel.

DEA officials referred comment to the U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday. Porras-Chávez's attorney is scheduled to attend a status hearing about the case before Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones on Friday.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_17015461