The Department of Justice reports that a family-led criminal business with direct ties to the Sinaloa Cartel has been decimated following a series of federal arrests in Los Angeles County.
Federal prosecutors charged five men—four of whom were arrested on Tuesday—with operating a sophisticated trafficking conspiracy between February 2024 and December 2025.
The defendants include Lancaster residents José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, Alfonso Salazar, 46, and José Manuel Salazar, 22, as well as Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, of Hesperia.
According to the indictment, Salazar-Cruz oversaw sales while his relatives spoke with suppliers and met with clients for cash transactions.
In addition to narcotics, the organization allegedly sold deadly weaponry, including a “street sweeper” damaging gadget and an AR-style “ghost gun” with no serial number.
Federal prosecutors contend that this organization served as a major conduit for cartel-sourced narcotics entering the Antelope Valley.
The current location of the fifth defendant named in the indictment, José Ángel López Paniagua, remains unknown.
Authorities think Paniagua was a key link to the Sinaloa Cartel, allegedly getting cocaine from cartel members in Tijuana and Mexicali and delivering them to the Salazar family.
It is also unknown whether other family members or connections are being tracked as part of the ongoing “Operation Take Back America” campaign.
Timeline: February 2024: The trafficking conspiracy begins, focusing on methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution.
December 2024 – July 2025: The defendants allegedly expand into illegal firearm sales, including a Glock .45-caliber pistol and unregistered rifles.
May 2025: Salazar-Cruz reportedly admits to a buyer that the drug supply is smuggled across the border from Mexico via trailer.
December 2025: The final drug transactions documented in the current indictment take place.
April 14, 2026: Law enforcement arrests four primary family members.
The four accused suspects are scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles federal court this week. If convicted of all charges, the defendants could face a term ranging from 10 years to life in prison.
The search for José Ángel López Paniagua continues across multiple agencies.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are still investigating the group’s “ghost gun” manufacture and distribution network.
Leave a Reply