Mexican Cartel Leader ‘Tony Montana’ Sentenced to 22½ Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, a Mexican cartel leader known as “Tony Montana,” was sentenced November 13 to 22½ years in federal prison for international drug trafficking and firearm offenses, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Oseguera Cervantes, 67, of Michoacán, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine for importation into the United States. He also pleaded guilty to using, carrying and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents described in the announcement, Oseguera Cervantes distributed cocaine and methamphetamine and supplied chemicals to methamphetamine laboratories, first for the Milenio Cartel and later for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, commonly known as CJNG.

He joined the Milenio Cartel around 2002 after serving a federal prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute heroin in the United States and being deported to Mexico. As a cartel leader, he oversaw drug sales, protected territory from rival organizations and supervised methamphetamine laboratories, authorities said.

Following the arrest of Milenio’s top leader in 2010, its military faction split off to form CJNG. Oseguera Cervantes’ brother, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” co-founded the organization and led it until he was killed during a Mexican military operation in February 2026, according to the release.

Authorities said Antonio Oseguera Cervantes reported directly to his brother and worked with Los Cuinis, a CJNG-aligned cartel. He also managed the collection and laundering of CJNG drug proceeds and carried a pistol while collecting money and attending drug trafficking meetings.

“The sentencing of Oseguera Cervantes demonstrates that no cartel leader is beyond the reach of American justice,” DEA Administrator Terry Cole said.

The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit Los Angeles investigated the case. Oseguera Cervantes was transferred from Mexico to the United States in February 2025 under Mexico’s national security law, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

The Justice Department identified the prosecution as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159. The initiative coordinates federal efforts against cartels, transnational criminal organizations, foreign gangs, and human smuggling and trafficking networks.