A high-ranking leader of a Mexican drug cartel that was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration was arraigned Wednesday in Washington, D.C., on federal drug charges.
Armando Gomez Nunez, a senior leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, or CJNG, was charged in a two-count indictment unsealed Wednesday with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine for importation into the U.S. and with carrying and using firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices, in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, prosecutors said.
If convicted on all charges, Gomez Nunez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the drug conspiracy count, plus a mandatory consecutive term of at least 30 years to life on the gun charge, as well as millions of dollars in potential fines and forfeiture.
"President Trump has made it clear that we will pursue every legal avenue to hold transnational criminal organizations accountable for their crimes against the American people," said Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, in a news release. "Now one of the most dangerous criminals in Mexico is in U.S. custody as we continue our fight against one of the largest, most violent drug trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere."
Federal prosecutors alleged that Gomez Nunez, also known as "Delta 1" and "Maximo," is the reputed leader and commander of Los Deltas, a violent enforcement and assassination cell of CJNG, and helped oversee a yearslong conspiracy to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, with knowledge the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the U.S.
Prosecutors further alleged that in furtherance of the drug trafficking operation, Gomez Nunez used, carried, and possessed weapons, including machine guns and destructive devices, to protect the cartel's activities and enforce its operations.
Mexican authorities arrested Gomez Nunez in December. He was one of 37 Mexican nationals who arrived in the U.S. on Tuesday after their expulsion by Mexican authorities under that country's national security law.
CJNG is one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations operating in Mexico and is responsible for exporting large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamines, and illicit opioids into the U.S., the Department of Justice said.
CJNG was designated by the State Department in February 2025 as a foreign terrorist organization for conducting acts of violence, including attacks on Mexican military and police with military-grade weapons, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.