ATLANTA — Roberto Lopez, an alleged lieutenant in the Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels, has been detained in Atlanta after being extradited from Mexico to face federal charges.
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Lopez, AKA ‘Shrek’, AKA ‘La Barbie’, AKA ‘NWA,’ is charged with cocaine importation, distribution, and money laundering, and was arraigned in federal court on Friday.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Lopez, who had been hiding in Mexico for over a decade, is accused of smuggling hundreds of machine guns and assault weapons and managing a vast cocaine smuggling network for high-level cartel leaders.
“Lopez allegedly moved tons of cocaine and millions of dollars through Atlanta and other cities while supplying machine guns and other tools of war to fuel cartel bloodshed in Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
“This violent cartel member is part of a ruthless criminal network that profits from drugs, guns, and bloodshed,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
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Lopez is alleged to have been the chief armorer and transportation head for Sinaloa enforcer Edgar Valdez-Villareal, known as “La Barbie,” and Carlos Montemayor, officials said.
In the early 2000s, Valdez was an infamous enforcer for the Sinaloa and Beltran-Leyva Cartels, partnering with U.S.-based trucking businessman Montemayor to operate a cocaine distribution network.
The network allegedly moved up to 300 kilograms of cocaine per week to cities like Atlanta and Memphis, while smuggling cash back to Mexico.
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Lopez is accused of handling logistics, including payments to truck drivers and stash house operators, and repackaging and transporting money over the border.
He allegedly supplied weapons and equipment to the cartels, smuggling over 1,000 rifles and other gear into Mexico from the United States.
Lopez is also alleged to have played a role in distributing a video of the assassination of one of Valdez’s rivals. U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker detained Lopez after he pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to import and distribute cocaine and money laundering.
Lopez faces a statutory maximum of life imprisonment for each drug count and up to 20 years for the money laundering count.