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{{short description|Mexican drug trafficker}}
{{family name hatnote|Villarreal|Barragán|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox criminal
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán
| name = Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán
| height = 6 ft 8 in<ref name=https://theintercept.com/2023/01/21/genaro-garcia-luna-dea-informant/”//>
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|09|21}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|09|21}}
| birth_place = [[Torreón]], [[Coahuila]], [[Mexico]]
| birth_place = [[Torreón]], [[Coahuila]], [[Mexico]]
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| death_place =
| death_place =
| cause =
| cause =
| alias = "El Grande",<ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Sara|title=Sergio Villarreal Barragan: Capture of "El Grande" helps Mexico's president|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2010/0913/Sergio-Villarreal-Barragan-Capture-of-El-Grande-helps-Mexico-s-president|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|date=13 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA11CVzI|archivedate=14 November 2012|url-status=live}} name=kinggrande>{{cite news|last=de la Luz González|first=María|title=Un |url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]]|date=13 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA1AKSzI|archivedate=14 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=kinggrande>{{cite news|last=de la Luz González|first=María|title=Un |url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]]|date=13 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA1AKSzI|archivedate=14 November 2012}}</ref>
| alias = "El Grande"<ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Sara|title=Sergio Villarreal Barragan: Capture of "El Grande" helps Mexico's president|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2010/0913/Sergio-Villarreal-Barragan-Capture-of-El-Grande-helps-Mexico-s-president|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|date=13 September 2010|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA11CVzI?url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2010/0913/Sergio-Villarreal-Barragan-Capture-of-El-Grande-helps-Mexico-s-president|archive-date=14 November 2012|url-status=live}} name=kinggrande>{{cite news|last=de la Luz González|first=María|title=Un |url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]]|date=13 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201082309/http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|url-status=live|archive-date=1 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=kinggrande>{{cite news|last=de la Luz González|first=María|title=Un |url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]]|date=13 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201082309/http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/180445.html|url-status=live|archive-date=1 December 2012}}</ref>
| motive =
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| charge =
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}}
'''Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán''', a.k.a. '''El Grande''', (b. September 21, 1969), is a former Mexican federal police officer who then worked as a lieutenant for [[Arturo Beltrán Leyva]] of the criminal organization called the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]]. He got his name ''El Grande'' ("The Big One") because he is {{convert|6|ft|7|in|m|2}} tall.
'''Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán''', a.k.a. '''El Grande''', (b. September 21, 1969), is a Mexican former federal police officer who then worked as a lieutenant for [[Arturo Beltrán Leyva]] of the criminal organization called the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]]. He got his name ''El Grande'' ("The Big One") because he is {{convert|6|ft|8|in|m|2}} tall.<ref name="https://theintercept.com/2023/01/21/genaro-garcia-luna-dea-informant/"/>


==Biography==
==Biography==
Villarreal Barragán was born in [[Torreón, Coahuila]] on September 21, 1969. He began his criminal career as a car thief in the state of Coahuila, and in 1990 at age 20, he was admitted to the Coahuila Judicial Police force.<ref name=perfileco>{{cite news|title=Perfil: ¿Quién es Sergio Villarreal, "El Grande"?|url=http://eleconomista.com.mx/seguridad-publica/2010/09/12/perfil-quien-sergio-villarreal-grande|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Economista (Mexico)|El Economista]]|date=12 September 2012|language=Spanish|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA2lj5QZ|archivedate=13 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=robacoches/> Several years later, he was admitted to the [[Federal Police (Mexico)|Federal Police]], which was led by the office [[National Security Commission]] and was stationed at [[Nuevo Laredo]]. Villarreal Barragán was then stationed at [[Reynosa, Tamaulipas]], where he worked until 1996, when he established a business relationship with the [[Juárez Cartel]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}} Between the years 2007 and 2010, Villarreal Barragán left the Juárez organization to work along with the [[Gulf Cartel]] and for [[Los Zetas]], but later incorporated into the [[Sinaloa Cartel]], commanding a criminal cell of the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]].<ref name=robacoches>{{cite news|last=Ravelo|first=Ricardo|title=La extradición de "El Grande", entre mentiras y delaciones|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=309832|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Proceso (magazine)|Proceso]]|date=5 June 2012|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA2pilrR|archivedate=13 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Dávila|first=Patricia|title=Imputan cuatro cargos a 'El Grande' en Estados Unidos|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=308479|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Proceso (magazine)|Proceso]]|date=23 May 2012|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA329iMO|archivedate=13 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Envían a 'El Grande' a EU|url=http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/744093.envian-a-el-grande-a-eu.html|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Siglo de Torreón]]|date=24 May 2012|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA38xkZ3|archivedate=13 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref>
Villarreal Barragán was born in [[Torreón, Coahuila]] on September 21, 1969. He began his criminal career as a car thief in the state of Coahuila, and in 1990 at age 20, he was admitted to the Coahuila Judicial Police force.<ref name=perfileco>{{cite news|title=Perfil: ¿Quién es Sergio Villarreal, "El Grande"?|url=http://eleconomista.com.mx/seguridad-publica/2010/09/12/perfil-quien-sergio-villarreal-grande|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Economista (Mexico)|El Economista]]|date=12 September 2012|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212101323/http://eleconomista.com.mx/seguridad-publica/2010/09/12/perfil-quien-sergio-villarreal-grande|archive-date=12 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=robacoches/> Several years later in 1993, he was admitted to the [[Federal Police (Mexico)|Federal Police]], which was led by the office [[National Security Commission]] and was stationed at [[Nuevo Laredo]]. Villarreal Barragán was then stationed at [[Reynosa, Tamaulipas]], where he worked until 1996, when he established a business relationship with the [[Juárez Cartel]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}} Between the years 2007 and 2010, Villarreal Barragán left the Juárez organization to work along with the [[Gulf Cartel]] and for [[Los Zetas]], but later incorporated into the [[Sinaloa Cartel]], commanding a criminal cell of the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]].<ref name=robacoches>{{cite news|last=Ravelo|first=Ricardo|title=La extradición de "El Grande", entre mentiras y delaciones|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=309832|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Proceso (magazine)|Proceso]]|date=5 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114052417/http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=309832|archive-date=14 November 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Dávila|first=Patricia|title=Imputan cuatro cargos a 'El Grande' en Estados Unidos|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=308479|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Proceso (magazine)|Proceso]]|date=23 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114052931/http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=308479|archive-date=14 November 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Envían a 'El Grande' a EU|url=http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/744093.envian-a-el-grande-a-eu.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Siglo de Torreón]]|date=24 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628103643/http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/744093.envian-a-el-grande-a-eu.html|archive-date=28 June 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref>


===Beltrán Leyva Cartel===
===Beltrán Leyva Cartel===
Allegedly, he was hired by the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]] and by 2007 he rose to the rank of lieutenant for [[Arturo Beltrán Leyva]].<ref name=perfileco/> Following Arturo's death in December 2009 during a shootout with Marines, infighting broke out for the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. One faction is led by lieutenants [[Édgar Valdez Villarreal]] and [[Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez]], while the other is led by the current cartel leader [[Héctor Beltrán Leyva]] and his 'enforcer' lieutenant, Sergio Villarreal Barragán.<ref>{{cite news|last=De la Luz González|first=María|title=El Indio peleaba cártel a Héctor Beltrán|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/674811.html|accessdate=13 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)]]|date=22 April 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6C9gSaMMU|archivedate=13 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Grayson|first=George W.|title=Death of Arturo Beltrán Leyva: What Does it Mean for Mexico's Drug War?|url=http://www.fpri.org/enotes/201002.grayson.beltranleyva.html|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Foreign Policy Research Institute]]|date=February 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA3U1SVo|archivedate=14 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ravelo|first=Ricardo|title=La vacante sangrienta|url=http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=544624|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=Noroeste|date=1 April 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA3f8a7S|archivedate=14 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref>
Allegedly, he was hired by the [[Beltrán Leyva Cartel]] and by 2007 he rose to the rank of lieutenant for [[Arturo Beltrán Leyva]].<ref name=perfileco/> Following Arturo's death in December 2009 during a shootout with Marines, infighting broke out for the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. One faction is led by lieutenants [[Édgar Valdez Villarreal]] and [[Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez]], while the other is led by the current cartel leader [[Héctor Beltrán Leyva]] and his 'enforcer' lieutenant, Sergio Villarreal Barragán.<ref>{{cite news|last=De la Luz González|first=María|title=El Indio peleaba cártel a Héctor Beltrán|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/674811.html|access-date=13 November 2012|newspaper=[[El Universal (Mexico City)]]|date=22 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008160423/http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/674811.html|archive-date=8 October 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Grayson|first=George W.|title=Death of Arturo Beltrán Leyva: What Does it Mean for Mexico's Drug War?|url=http://www.fpri.org/enotes/201002.grayson.beltranleyva.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Foreign Policy Research Institute]]|date=February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920080216/http://www.fpri.org/enotes/201002.grayson.beltranleyva.html|archive-date=20 September 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ravelo|first=Ricardo|title=La vacante sangrienta|url=http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=544624|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=Noroeste|date=1 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317182956/http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=544624|archive-date=17 March 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref>


==Kingpin Act sanction==
==Kingpin Act sanction==
On 1 June 2010, the [[United States Department of the Treasury]] sanctioned Villarreal Barragán under the [[Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]] (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with four other international criminals.<ref>{{cite web|title=DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT TO THE FOREIGN NARCOTICS KINGPIN DESIGNATION ACT|url=http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/narco_designations_kingpin.pdf|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|accessdate=28 May 2014|page=3|date=15 May 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514025153/http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/narco_designations_kingpin.pdf|archivedate=28 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|title=An overview of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act|url=http://www.assetsearchblog.com/uploads/file/drugs.pdf|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|accessdate=28 May 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528053616/http://www.assetsearchblog.com/uploads/file/drugs.pdf|archivedate=28 May 2014|page=1|date=2009}}</ref>
On 1 June 2010, the [[United States Department of the Treasury]] sanctioned Villarreal Barragán under the [[Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]] (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with four other international criminals.<ref>{{cite web|title=DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT TO THE FOREIGN NARCOTICS KINGPIN DESIGNATION ACT|url=http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/narco_designations_kingpin.pdf|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|access-date=28 May 2014|page=3|date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514025153/http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/narco_designations_kingpin.pdf|archive-date=14 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|title=An overview of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act|url=http://www.assetsearchblog.com/uploads/file/drugs.pdf|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|access-date=28 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528053616/http://www.assetsearchblog.com/uploads/file/drugs.pdf|archive-date=28 May 2014|page=1|date=2009}}</ref>


==Bounty and arrest==
==Bounty and arrest==
On September 12, 2010 he was arrested in a raid by Mexican Marines in the central state of [[Puebla]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Castillo|first=Eduardo E.|title=Mexican marines arrest presumed drug kingpin|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMi5B2USfJStXxfqgWWr2xjRYpOgD9I6MT680|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Associated Press]]|date=16 September 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916063737/https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMi5B2USfJStXxfqgWWr2xjRYpOgD9I6MT680|archivedate=14 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mexico captures another alleged drug kingpin|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/12/mexico.arrest/index.html|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[CNN]]|date=14 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA3tVezt|archivedate=14 November 2012}}</ref> Villarreal has been charged with multiple murders and other crimes. The Mexican government had been offering a $30 million pesos (US$1.7 million) bounty for information leading to Villarreal's capture.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ellingwood|first=Ken|title=Mexico arrests key suspect in Beltran Leyva cartel|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/14/world/la-fg-mexico-beltran-20100914|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=14 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA4Hyv4x|archivedate=14 November 2012}}</ref>
On September 12, 2010, he was arrested in a raid by Mexican Marines in the central state of [[Puebla]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Castillo|first=Eduardo E.|title=Mexican marines arrest presumed drug kingpin|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMi5B2USfJStXxfqgWWr2xjRYpOgD9I6MT680|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Associated Press]]|date=16 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916063737/https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMi5B2USfJStXxfqgWWr2xjRYpOgD9I6MT680|archive-date=16 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mexico captures another alleged drug kingpin|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/12/mexico.arrest/index.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[CNN]]|date=14 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108164814/http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/12/mexico.arrest/index.html|url-status=live|archive-date=8 November 2012}}</ref> Villarreal has been charged with multiple murders and other crimes. The Mexican government had been offering a $30 million pesos (US$1.7 million) bounty for information leading to Villarreal's capture.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ellingwood|first=Ken|title=Mexico arrests key suspect in Beltran Leyva cartel|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-14-la-fg-mexico-beltran-20100914-story.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=14 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114034007/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/14/world/la-fg-mexico-beltran-20100914|url-status=live|archive-date=14 November 2012}}</ref>


Villarreal Barragán was [[Extradition|extradited]] to the United States on 23 May 2012, and may possibly serve as a "protected witness" for the [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sergio Villarreal 'El Grande' fue extraditado a Estados Unidos|url=http://noticias.univision.com/narcotrafico/noticias/article/2012-05-23/sergio-villarreal-el-grande-fue-extraditado-a-estados-unidos#axzz1vlrmhu00|accessdate=24 May 2012|newspaper=[[Univision]]|date=23 May 2012|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CA4TVI4L|archivedate=14 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref>
Villarreal Barragán was [[Extradition|extradited]] to the United States on 23 May 2012, and may possibly serve as a "protected witness" for the [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sergio Villarreal 'El Grande' fue extraditado a Estados Unidos|url=http://noticias.univision.com/narcotrafico/noticias/article/2012-05-23/sergio-villarreal-el-grande-fue-extraditado-a-estados-unidos#axzz1vlrmhu00|access-date=24 May 2012|newspaper=[[Univision]]|date=23 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612132812/http://noticias.univision.com/narcotrafico/noticias/article/2012-05-23/sergio-villarreal-el-grande-fue-extraditado-a-estados-unidos|archive-date=12 June 2022|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Villarreal Barragán is married to Gabriela Benavides Tamez and has a brother named Adolfo Villarreal Barragán.<ref>{{cite news|title=Agarran a Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán alias El Grande, operador de los Beltrán Leyva|url=http://www.blogdelnarco.com/2010/09/agarran-a-sergio-enrique-villarreal-barragan-alias-el-grande-operador-de-los-beltran-leyva/|accessdate=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Blog del Narco]]|date=13 September 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6CADNDKze|archivedate=14 November 2012|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}</ref>
Villarreal Barragán is married to Gabriela Benavides Tamez and has a brother named Adolfo Villarreal Barragán.<ref>{{cite news|title=Agarran a Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán alias El Grande, operador de los Beltrán Leyva|url=http://www.blogdelnarco.com/2010/09/agarran-a-sergio-enrique-villarreal-barragan-alias-el-grande-operador-de-los-beltran-leyva/|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=[[Blog del Narco]]|date=13 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619101128/http://www.blogdelnarco.com/2010/09/agarran-a-sergio-enrique-villarreal-barragan-alias-el-grande-operador-de-los-beltran-leyva/|archive-date=19 June 2012|url-status=live|language=es}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 53: Line 56:
[[Category:Beltrán-Leyva Cartel traffickers]]
[[Category:Beltrán-Leyva Cartel traffickers]]
[[Category:Mexican people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Mexican people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Mexican police officers convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government]]
[[Category:People extradited from Mexico to the United States]]
[[Category:People extradited from Mexico to the United States]]
[[Category:People from Torreón]]
[[Category:People sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]]
[[Category:People sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government]]

Latest revision as of 06:27, 7 November 2024

Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán
Born (1969-09-21) September 21, 1969 (age 55)
Other names"El Grande"[2][3]
OccupationLeader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel
Height6 ft 8 in (203 cm)[1]
Criminal statusExtradited to the United States

Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán, a.k.a. El Grande, (b. September 21, 1969), is a Mexican former federal police officer who then worked as a lieutenant for Arturo Beltrán Leyva of the criminal organization called the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. He got his name El Grande ("The Big One") because he is 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) tall.[4]

Biography

[edit]

Villarreal Barragán was born in Torreón, Coahuila on September 21, 1969. He began his criminal career as a car thief in the state of Coahuila, and in 1990 at age 20, he was admitted to the Coahuila Judicial Police force.[5][6] Several years later in 1993, he was admitted to the Federal Police, which was led by the office National Security Commission and was stationed at Nuevo Laredo. Villarreal Barragán was then stationed at Reynosa, Tamaulipas, where he worked until 1996, when he established a business relationship with the Juárez Cartel.[citation needed] Between the years 2007 and 2010, Villarreal Barragán left the Juárez organization to work along with the Gulf Cartel and for Los Zetas, but later incorporated into the Sinaloa Cartel, commanding a criminal cell of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel.[6][7][8]

Beltrán Leyva Cartel

[edit]

Allegedly, he was hired by the Beltrán Leyva Cartel and by 2007 he rose to the rank of lieutenant for Arturo Beltrán Leyva.[5] Following Arturo's death in December 2009 during a shootout with Marines, infighting broke out for the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. One faction is led by lieutenants Édgar Valdez Villarreal and Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez, while the other is led by the current cartel leader Héctor Beltrán Leyva and his 'enforcer' lieutenant, Sergio Villarreal Barragán.[9][10][11]

Kingpin Act sanction

[edit]

On 1 June 2010, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned Villarreal Barragán under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with four other international criminals.[12] The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.[13]

Bounty and arrest

[edit]

On September 12, 2010, he was arrested in a raid by Mexican Marines in the central state of Puebla.[14][15] Villarreal has been charged with multiple murders and other crimes. The Mexican government had been offering a $30 million pesos (US$1.7 million) bounty for information leading to Villarreal's capture.[16]

Villarreal Barragán was extradited to the United States on 23 May 2012, and may possibly serve as a "protected witness" for the DEA.[17]

Personal life

[edit]

Villarreal Barragán is married to Gabriela Benavides Tamez and has a brother named Adolfo Villarreal Barragán.[18]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference https://theintercept.com/2023/01/21/genaro-garcia-luna-dea-informant/”/ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Miller, Sara (13 September 2010). "Sergio Villarreal Barragan: Capture of "El Grande" helps Mexico's president". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012. name=kinggrande>de la Luz González, María (13 September 2010). "Un". El Universal. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  3. ^ de la Luz González, María (13 September 2010). "Un". El Universal. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
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  5. ^ a b "Perfil: ¿Quién es Sergio Villarreal, "El Grande"?". El Economista (in Spanish). 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
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  7. ^ Dávila, Patricia (23 May 2012). "Imputan cuatro cargos a 'El Grande' en Estados Unidos". Proceso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
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