by Chivis Martinez and Havana for Borderland Beat
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From Jose Treviño's Lexington, Oklahoma ranch, the IRS Investigator found a stack of unsigned breeding contracts with Victor Nieto, Nayen Hernandez, Santa Fe Rodan, Efrain Garcia (at left) name on them. There were no billings or breeding contracts at the Zule Farm for Carlos Nayen, who had been buying horses for Tremor Enterprises since 2011.![]()
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The Los Zetas cartel money laundering trial kicked off its third week of testimony with the testimony of Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar aka “El Mamito” or Z-7. The trial has provided dozens of witnesses, over the three weeks of testimony, from peripheral characters providing interesting insider information; however Rejón is the first top leader of the Zetas to testify, he was ranked number three in the leader hierarchy.
Rejón was one of the founders of Los Zetas.
Rejón entered the courtroom wearing prison garb, in this case, a loose white shirt and light gray pants similar to sweats. He appeared not to be shackled or cuffed. He would still be considered good looking but definitely worse for the wear. He was sporting a 2-3 day beard growth, and closely shaved head. He took the stand with a demeanor of both confidence and resignation.
When our courtroom source was asked about Rejón’s demeanor he reported; “ [he was] Just resigned to being there and getting the testimony over with, remembering to cooperate but not let the attorneys get away with anything even if he knew he was smarter than the attorneys, he was attentive to every question. He was just going through with it as best he could to get out of jail before he is too old. He was serious”
He was a member of the Mexican Special Forces, known by the acronym GAFE, and was stationed in Saltillo the capital city of Coahuila. It was while he was assigned in Saltillo when he met another founding member, Arturo Guzmán Decena aka Z-1 (at left), Guzmán asked Rejón to be a part of a new enforcer group of 14 former officers that would work with the Golfo cartel (CDG). The name of the new group was Los Zetas.
When Rejon arrived in Tamaulipas he was assigned under the command of Miguel Treviño Morales where he remained until his arrest. Miguel is the current premier leader of Los Zetas and was indicted in case being tried, Miguel is Jose Treviño’s brother.
On July 4, 2011, Rejón was arrested in Atizapán, de Zaragoza a suburb of Mexico City; subsequently he was extradited to the US to face drug trafficking charges. He pled guilty in February of this year and is serving a 10 to life sentence, he admitted on the stand he was testifying for a reduced sentence. He is also suspected of being involved in the murder of ICE agent Jamie Zapata a murder he at one time admitted to, but later retracted that statement.
Rejón was suspected of killing numerous people and is known for his extravagant, but failed attempt in 2004 to free Golfo leader, Osiel Cardenas Guillen, from a maximum security prison in Mexico. Mexico government documents reveal that the attempt involved helicopters and scores of Zetas on the ground. Ultimately Cardenas was extradited to the US where he pled guilty, as he apologized with tears streaming down his face, receiving a 25 year sentence which he is currently serving.
In 2010 Zetas split from the Golfo Cartel, and the two cartels have been vicious opponents since the break, in an ongoing conflict over the NE territory of Mexico.
Rejón was apprehended with 5 kilos of cocaine and 1000 kilos of marijuana when he was arrested. . In Mexico he was charged with; organized crime, possession of prohibited weapon for-military-use-only and prohibited ammunition for-military-use-only.
Rejón told the jury that Los Zetas were moving cocaine into the States and in this time frame. He said moved 40 tons or more and made 350 million dollars plus for the Zetas. According to the witness, "[The Zetas'] expenses out of 350 million were the cost of their war against Los Golfos."
When asked about admitting on Mexican TV to killing the ICE agent agent, Rejón explained to the jury that after his arrest he was kept blindfolded for days before he was forced in front of TV cameras to give a coerced statement.
The charge was thrown out.
Fourteen months later, on Sept. 12, 2012, he was extradited to the US to answer charges of killing ICE agent Jaime Zapata. He pled guilty to conspiracy charges, facing 10 years to life, and is presently awaiting sentencing.
Rejón assured defense attorney Mike DeGuerin that there has been no payment or promises for testifying for the American government. He admitted he already testified in the trial of Aerelio Cano Flores, "El Yankee “, but said he was hoping the judge will reward his "good will" with leniency when sentencing.
The witness agreed under oath that he fought some territory battles: "I don't know. I was in at least 10" against opposing Cartel de Sinaloa, and he admitted that he kidnapped, tortured, and killed those crossing plazas without paying fees. Under cross examination, in a matter of fact manner, he admitted killing men and women, as well as torturing men, but stipulated he did not torture women.
"Other groups are allowed to move drugs though your territory, sometimes they pay fees, if not they got kidnapped, killed or whatever is needed to be done. I was told to kidnap 10-15 people for trafficking drugs without permission. They were killed. I was told to kill."
He continued testifying about the killings and clarified a misconception and, while exhibiting his brand of cooperation; "I wasn't ever supposed to kill Betancourt anyway. I was told to kill the wife of Alejandro Betancourt," he admits. "But I didn't think she'd done anything, I wasn't convinced, so I didn't....I ended up being punished in hand cuffs for a while."
On the stand, Rejón said he killed about 20 people, although the defense attorney, Mike DeGeurin, repeatedly referred to the number as 30 never wavering. The witness just responded with a nod at the attorney, in a bored manner that conveys, "whatever", clearly he was “over it” and didn’t want to bother quibbling about mere numbers of deaths he'd caused, numbers that may not even begin to resemble an accurate count anyway.
Continuing with history, Rejón snarled, "It wasn't like I defected from the Gulf Cartel. I always worked for the armed branch, Los Zetas, and stayed working for Los Zetas after the split in 2010." He agreed he was given the title Z-7.
He supervised all sectors at the national levels, moving drugs to the US, providing bribes to the Mexican military, transporting drugs for the military, killing or kidnapping, whatever needed to be done.
Miguel Treviño (Z40) gave him the orders. At the time Miguel was second in command for the armed branch and supervised everything: all people and weaponry. They worked together and friendship developed between him and Miguel and his brother Omar Treviño (Z42). For two years, they saw each other nearly every day.
Rejón had been interested in quarter horses for many years, long before 40. He had a partnership with Alejandro Barradas. The witness explained that it was "a hobby to have the fastest quarter horses," which he kept on property in Miguel Aleman. Barradas' death had something to do with El Lucky in Veracruz. Between the translator and Rejón’s explanation something unclear was mumbled.
Apart from his obligations and associations with Los Zetas, Rejón met other persons along the way who shared similar passion for quarter horses.
The prosecutor asked Rejón what he called Ramiro Villareal. Looking puzzled, he replied, "Amigo." When asked if he called him "Gordo," he replied, "I never called him that."
Rejón worked over a period of time with Ramiro Villareal, acquiring about 350 quarter horses. He studied catalogues and bloodlines, buying horses through Villareal. He said, "Villareal was supposed to get me Tempting Dash. “I told him to buy me Tempting Dash 'cause of the good bloodline. He said he would, but 40 got it, he said, 'no, I got it!'" The witness still appeared genuinely disgusted.
The prosecution exhibited many wiretapped phone calls, looking for the witness' input.
In his testimony today, Monday, he said, Miguel Treviño, and his brother Omar, number 2 leader of Los Zetas, laundered drug proceeds through a horse racing operation in the United States, buying horses to race and fixing races their horses ran in.
He told jurors that Miguel purchased the horse Tempting Dash, In the US from Jose Ramiro Villareal. Villareal aka “Gordo” was killed on orders of Miguel Treviño. . Rejón said Miguel did not want himself to be the registered owner of the horse; he wanted it registered in the name of his brother, Jose Treviño. His reasons were that Jose was “clean” and not involved in drug trafficking.
He told jurors that Miguel purchased the horse Tempting Dash, In the US from Jose Ramiro Villareal. Villareal aka “Gordo” was killed on orders of Miguel Treviño. . Rejón said Miguel did not want himself to be the registered owner of the horse; he wanted it registered in the name of his brother, Jose Treviño. His reasons were that Jose was “clean” and not involved in drug trafficking.
One recorded call played aloud in the courtroom (subtitles provided) was between Ramiro Villareal, and his assistant La Pili, who referred to the "guy in glasses" being furious. The witness says, "That was me. Ramiro was supposed to buy me that horse and 40 claimed it. Sure I was mad."
The witness told the jury that around late 2007, early 2008, Miguel Treviño Morales became interested in racing quarter horses. It was expensive but 40 noted it was a good hobby and good for cleaning money.
The prosecution played taped conversations between 42 and Villareal about bribes at racetracks. Another taped conversation spoke of "applying jolts" to horses when jockeys have battery buzzers taped to their wrists or their hands to increase the horse's speed. Jockeys immediately discarding the buzzers on the track when finished,.
When asked about Villareal's death, Rejón said, "40 killed him and made it look like an accident." He continued, "no, it wasn't because he was cooperating with the US, he didn't know that. It was because Villareal knew so much about the horses, he knew everything. He didn't want to be brought down by Villareal if he got caught"
Rejón spoke of Pancho Colorado and his relationship with Z-14. He said, "They were compadres and Z-14 helped him with his company in Veracruz." He was at the investigation/reorganization meeting at Colorado's ranch after the death of Z-14.
Rejón testified that he attended many match races, "maybe 80" with 40 and 42 in Mexico, and Colorado Cessa was there sometimes, too. "He bought horses for them."
The jury proceeded to listen to many recorded calls with 42, who spoke with Villareal about bribing gatekeepers at Tempting Dash's 2009 Dash for Cash race, which she one. Villareal spoke of the deal with the gate keepers: $500 for each starter and $4000 if they won the race
One curious conversation was between Villareal and Omar Trevino after Tempting won a Dash for Cash new track record. Villareal was saying he had to go have his photo taken. Two or three times, the jury listened to an elated Omar requesting Villareal send him a sign in the photo. Two days later, on Wednesday, the Jury was shown by FBI investigator Steve Lawson the photo of the Treviño kids, flashing 40 and 42 signs in the winner's circle.
Attorney DeGeurin asked Aguilar if he had been accused of killing a police officer. Somewhat confused, Rejón said, "Yeah, but I'm not sure what officer?"
When asked more specifically about killing one ICE agent and wounding another on the highway in San Luis Potosi, Aguilar responded, "I was questioned about this, I knew it was members of Los Zetas. I told them the facts."
Rejón told lawyer Mike DeGeurin that the Gulf Cartel got most of his horses. When asked if he made 50 million dollars off his activities, he replied "most got lost with businesses," but he admitted he still has money in a safe (or safe place) somewhere.
When DeGeurin stated, "You probably don't feel inclined to tell me where." Rejón answered slowly but matter of factly, "I see no reason to do that."
At one point Rejón was asked if he knew Banda MonoCodo…no answer. Then almost at the end of the prosecution's redirect, Assistant District attorney Gardner asked Rejón how much was Banda El Recodo fee to play.
He answered, "they cost 40 (Miguel Treviño), $250,000"
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He was asked about ritual of animal sacrifice which he ignored probably because it was posed more as a statement.
The last remark on District Attorney's Gardner's redirect was, "Santeria doesn't justify killing people...” It was met by silence and Judge Sparks excused the witness.
The next witness giving testimony was Tyler Graham, 29, he's been manager/agent of Southwest Stallion Station for 7 years. It's a large, well respected stable in Elgin, Texas and a long established leader in breeding quarter horses. The breeding farm and stable was started by the witness' grandfather, Dr. Charles Graham. Dr.Graham is also a co-owner of the famous horse auction house, Heritage Place, "Where Champions Are Sold," and Graham sits on the SSS board. He grew up around the horse racing industry all his life and there isn't much he doesn't know about the business.
The witness was also asked why defendant Colorado Cessa sent him cigars.
"He sent me cigars because of my faith," he further elaborated saying "Santeria is based on the Lacumi beliefs of the Yoruba in Africa... then it came through Cuba with slaves. I sent people to do a cleaning on the part of Colorado."
He was asked about ritual of animal sacrifice which he ignored probably because it was posed more as a statement.
The last remark on District Attorney's Gardner's redirect was, "Santeria doesn't justify killing people...” It was met by silence and Judge Sparks excused the witness.
The next witness giving testimony was Tyler Graham, 29, he's been manager/agent of Southwest Stallion Station for 7 years. It's a large, well respected stable in Elgin, Texas and a long established leader in breeding quarter horses. The breeding farm and stable was started by the witness' grandfather, Dr. Charles Graham. Dr.Graham is also a co-owner of the famous horse auction house, Heritage Place, "Where Champions Are Sold," and Graham sits on the SSS board. He grew up around the horse racing industry all his life and there isn't much he doesn't know about the business.
He graduated from Texas A and M with an animal science degree in 2006 and started working at the family business, Southwest Stallion Station, afterwards.
Tyler Graham explained that Southwest Stallion Station wants the best possible studs to attract the best mares for the future. "That combination will bring the best possible racing quarter horses and the most money for Southwest Stallion Station," he told the jury. "You need great sires and great dams--a 50/50 winning combination, but still there is no guarantee."
Graham has learned to recruit stallion owners like teams recruit athletes, which is what he was attempting to do with Jose Treviño and Tempting Dash when she won the Dash for Cash race in 2009. That race is said to be the one which earned Defendant Jose Treviño $400,000, which he used to start his horse breeding and racing business. Graham knew all about Tempting Dash and had been following her progress since Ramiro Villareal had purchased her originally for $25,000, back when she was named Huesos. Chevo Huitron had trained horses for Graham and told him about other Futurities Tempting Dash had won in Mexico.
By the time Graham (at left) was pursuing Tempting Dash to breed at Southwest Stallion Station, he had he already known Villareal and many others involved in this case for many years. "The quarter horse industry is only so big," he explained" And Southwest Stallion Station plays an important role.
The government was aware of the Treviño quarter horse business. The FBI had been conducting surveillance and witnessed Tyler bidding at the 2010 Heritage Place fall auction, where they won Dashing Follies for $875,000. Tyler Graham said, "Rudi Treviño asked me before the sale to get Dashing Follies, the bidding started quick at $500,000, then very fast going up in $25,000 increments.
Jose and Nayen were there and Rudi was on the phone and kept nodding." "Rudi also told me to buy Coronita Cartel, which was $200,000, and two Whealands for $25,000. The horses were paid for on Monday morning with wire transfers to Heritage Place. The next week, Jose, Rudi and Nayen came by Southwest Stallion Station to see Dashing Follies and Coronita Cartel and the two Wheatlands."
FBI investigator Scott Lawson contacted Tyler Graham in 2010 to help with a money laundering investigation since Graham had close ties with so many players in the government investigation.
"They approached me, not 'cause I did anything wrong, because I didn't, but they needed some inside help." He signed an OIA, otherwise illegal agreement, which has to be renewed every 90 days.
Graham kept in regular contact with the FBI, exchanging information as they consciously and painstakingly built their case. In April 2011, about a year after Graham's initial meeting with the government, the FBI wanted him to buy a Nextel phone, for which they reimbursed him, and from that point on all his calls were taped for the ongoing investigation.
Graham testified that he met defendant Fernando Garcia in Spring 2010. Carlos Nayen and he were interested in buying a lot of horses in the 2010 and soon afterwards they started sending quarter horses to Southwest Stallion Station for breeding and boarding. Graham said he was aware they were also changing horse names, some into names of fast cars.
"It was confusing and made it difficult to keep track of 'em." Garcia and Nayen asked Graham to open an American bank account, to make it easier for them to pay for the horses. In the summer of 2012, he opened an IBC account in Bastrop, TX, because it was the closest bank. A total of $54,000 was deposited in six increments of $9,000. Graham was informed by his bank officer that IBC was closing the account.
He took the money and applied it to their growing horse expense bill at Southwest Stallion Station. When he talked to Jose about this, was mad and called Carlos immediately about the matter, quickly and in Spanish.
The calls, many of which seem quite damning, continued between Graham and members of "the organization," which is what the government calls the group associated with Jose Treviño. One call after another features members of the organization discussing payments, deposits and ongoing struggles to get people and horses paid for.
There's a call from Victor Lopez, saying he needs to meet for a cash drop in Laredo. Graham says he'll arrange it and get back to him.
Another one has Victor Lopez saying he needed a list of all the embryos they had and who were the parents.
There were calls discussing screwed up wire transfers.
One call, with a frustrated Graham telling Fernando and Victor Lopez that $223,000 in wired payments is fine but the balances keep increasing, since more horses keep coming in and stud fees for Jose's breeding get paid directly to Jose and aren't applied to the growing balances.
Carlos kept buying breedings, and Colorado Cessa's accounts were kept separate.
At the end of this long testimony it seems that there is anything the defense can do to put any doubt in this witness' testimony. He appears unflappable, a prosecutors' dream witness.
When the defense asked about his recorded calls, he clarified, "I didn't record calls. My phone calls were being recorded." And regarding being a confidential informant, "they never called me that. I don't know what they called me. A concerned citizen? They approached me, not the other way around”.
IRS Special Agent Steve Pennington gave his testimony Tuesday afternoon. He speaks of the defendants in the government's money laundering case as "front men" (or "nominees") because they carry out duties for “the organization" buying quarter horses.
He cited Francisco Colorado Cessa as a nominee buyer as well as the Huitron brothers, Eusebio and Jesus, and horse agent Fernando Solis Garcia. The jury has seen evidence of structured deposits in their bank.
Pennington analyzed cash transaction reports and evidence of large deposits going into Jesus and Eusebio Huitron's Wells Fargo account in Laredo. Much of their depositing style fits the parameters of structuring deposits. They co-mingled funds from mixed sources, both clean and dirty, to disguise their motives.
In 22 months there was $505,000 deposited into Jesus and Eusebio's accounts and a large number of checks written to defendants signed by Jesus Huitron. But Pennington said, "There never appeared any invoices from those entities."
Jesus Huitron's attorney, Brent Mayr, tried to say it was impossible to prove Jesus or Eusevio Huitron who used the computer, because the fact is, they don't. He said that Jessica Huitron, Jesus' daughter, did the billing, and he pointed to evidence of her notarizing two documents to further cast down. There could be some doubt about their computer skills but...
Jurors listened for hours, most of Tuesday morning and afternoon, as prosecutors traced the money trail from horse auctions, breeding farms, horse races and numerous banks.
Steve Pennington said, "An IRS auditor looks at the level of receipts. Then he looks a level below to see if the money is legitimate."
The witness reiterated and explained currency is earned from drugs being sold in the US, being transported to Mexico, deposited directly as cash in US banks, or wired directly as payment for horses. The defendants laundered drug money, buying horses through nominees, and spent their time shifting through many owners to disguise the source of the money. The process enabled Treviño to collect winnings from horse races, sales, stud fees, breeding and so forth.
Pennington determined that $25 million was spent on the purchase of quarter horses in auctions and private sales, but only one was bought by Jose Trevino.
The IRS investigator noted that two Spanish language accounts in Laredo, Texas, one being Gerardo Garza Quintero's and the other, Edith A Lopez's, had huge deposits coming in and a large number of checks going out. Edith A. Lopez has been linked to Los Zetas.
In 2011, 35 mares were purchased under Jose Trevino's company and tracked by the original sales records and AQHA Records. The horses were housed at SSS and were eventually transferred and registered to 66 Land.
The mares were shipped to Lexington to be a part of Jose Trevino's new "Oklahoma Bred" breeding program at Zule Farms. But analyzing the paper trail, it appears he never paid for the mares except with a bounced check. The mares, many pregnant, were seized at the raid on June 12, 2012.
Lead FBI Investigator Scott Lawson spent Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning exhibiting photos accumulated in his two year surveillance of the defendants at various horse auctions and sales. He spoke of Tyler Graham and the evidence he shared with the FBI as providing nearly 60% of the evidence.
In order to provide more proof of linkage, Lawson's testimony was largely made up of surveillance photos, wiretapped phone calls, photos and documents he pulled from off defendants' computers.
Lead FBI Investigator Scott Lawson spent Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning exhibiting photos he accumulated in his two year surveillance of defendants at various horse auctions and sales. He spoke of Tyler Graham and the evidence he shared with the FBI as providing nearly 60% of the evidence.
Continued on next page......
The following represents a fraction of the exhibited evidence:
Photos of Victor Lopez, who on two occasions, unknowingly giving money in Laredo, TX to an undercover agent, designating the funds were to be delivered to Tyler Graham at Southwest Stallion Station.
The first drop of $35,000 happened in January, 2011 in La Posada Hotel parking lot in Laredo, TX. More photos taken on August 24, 2011, show the second time Victor Lopez gave money, $59,700, to be delivered to Tyler Graham to an agent in a truck parked in Mall de Norte.
A financial spread sheet of Colorado Cessa's horse purchases found on Fernando Garcia's computer representing 1.4M spent at horse a horse auction, which exhibited payments from ADT.
Documents reflect Colorado Cessa purchasing 121 horses. Forty-one of the horses were in his name and boarded at Southwest Stallion or at trainer Paul Joan’s facility.
Photos of Fernando Garcia in numerous winner’s circles--ten times over the amount to prove linkage.
Auction catalogues from Heritage, 2011 Riodoso and Los Alamitos auctions with horse hip numbers circled and listed as "Buenos." Many of these horses were confiscated from Treviño's horse ranch June 12, 2012, and sold by the government for over 8M.
A bill for Cheve Huitron's broken leg from training horses in Mexico sent from Fernando Garcia to electronic mail address; Anri2391@hotmail. The email address is the one Victor Lopez/Carlos Nayen used.
Photos of Fernando Garcia in approximately a dozen winner’s circles, the photos depicted various defendants.
Photos of Nayen, Solis Garcia in Veracruz boarding a private jet Poncho Colorado contacted to fly from Houston to Los Alamitos with defendant Colorado Cessa.
From Lexington, Oklahoma, 100 boxes of evidence, 8 computers and 10 telephones.
Sales agreement of Garcia Bloodstock Fernando's company selling Mr. Piloto to Tremor Enterprises before the 2009 All American Futurity.
No billing invoices were found at any of the businesses.
Winners circle photos, that include various combination groupings of the co-defendants imaginable, including the "New Track Record" for Tempting Dash with son Jose Treviño Jr. and daughter Alexandra flashing 40 and 42 signs
The day ended again with questions regarding witness for the prosecution Hector Moreno's testimony. The defense wants to have his testimony discarded because of pending kidnapping and murder charges in Mexico.
The defense has documents filed in Piedras Niegras, Coahuila, which is where Moreno lived. The prosecution wants it in, not only because of his horse racing ledger, but he is also an important part of Poncho Cuellar's crew, with plenty of valuable information.
Lead Defense attorney David Finn believes the arrest documents are valid. He thinks Hector deliberately deceived and left a false impression with the jury. Judge Sam Sparks wants the Mexican arrest warrants authenticated by the State Department before he makes a ruling. The defense is questioning again whether Moreno took money for his testimony. Not holding back his weariness over the issue, Judge Sparks, halfheartedly said the defense will have their chance with Moreno when he testifies again. It is not known when, but they will try to get him back.
Recall: Witness Hector Moreno
On Thursday, Moreno once again took the stand. He answered questions as to whether he knew he was facing charges for kidnapping and murder in in Mexico. He said that the first he heard of it was in the San Antonio newspaper.
He also testified he was given money for a permit, which was probably an U.S. resident visa. He was excused.
Witness Shae Cox
Attorney Richard Esper called trainer Shae Cox, former mentee of Eusevio Huitron, who described him as an incredibly hard working horse trainer with top horsemanship, while conceding his lack of education and refinement had held him back to some degree.
She described her experiences traveling with Huitron, training and racing horses on the quarter horse racing circuit. When asked about his honesty, Cox said, "He doesn't have time not to be honest."
Cox described straightening out a clerical mess Chevo was entangled with at Elgin Veterinary Clinic regarding horses and their proper owners. It took days to untangle, emphasizing that although Cox's former boss had no head for accounting, she still respected him enough to help him avoid problems in the future.
Assistant US Attorney Douglas Gardner refuted the witness' description of Huitron's honesty by listing doping charges, a bribery charge at Redema Park and suspensions within the quarter horse industry. Some charges Cox knew of, others not, one she dismissed as everyone does it. Completely unfazed, Cox said, "I still think he is honest."
Witness John Casler
Next to take the stand was John Casler, a former real estate broker who sold the homes Jesus Huitron built for ten years. During that time, Casler said he became familiar with Huitron's family. Casler said Jesus was never in the office, that he always spent his time on the job sight overseeing the details, which made his homes easy to sell.
The witness said Jesus really knew nothing about the race horse business and didn't believe "Jesse" had any time for anything besides his family and home building because his devotion to each was so thorough.
Witness Ruby Segura
A real estate agent who worked with Jesus Huitron (at left) selling the spec houses he built, Segura said Jesus spent no time in his office and lived on the job site.
She said she knew Jesus had a ranch with horses but that was all. "He lived and breathed homebuilding.
She said she knew Jesus had a ranch with horses but that was all. "He lived and breathed homebuilding.
The prosecution and defense have now both finished presenting evidence in this federal money laundering trial against five codefendants who stand accused of laundering money for Los Zetas Cartel. Jurors will return next Wednesday to begin listening to final arguments.
Below is the interrogation video made at the time of Rejón's capture in Mexico
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| Displaying a flat affect during the interview, he then smiles when thinking of his mother |
Narration in English
Interrogator: What is your name?
Rejón: Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar, aka El Mamito o El Caballero.
Interrogator: What is your date of birth, where are you from and how old are you?
Rejón: June 9th, 1976. I’m 35 years old, and I’m from Sabancuy, Campeche.
Interrogator: What do you do for a living?
Rejón: Drug trafficking.
Interrogator: For which organization?
Rejón: Los Zetas.
Interrogator: How did you join this organization, when?
Rejón: I deserted from the army, in 1999, I went to Reynosa and I met Decena, aka. Zeta 1.
Interrogator: Who created Los Zetas?
Rejón: It was Osiel, through Zeta 1. [Osiel Cardenas leader of CDG]
Interrogator: When they were originally created, how many members were there?
Rejón: At first we were seven. Then seven more were added to the original fourteen members.
Interrogator: Were you one of the founders?
Rejón: Yes.
Interrogator: Which number were you?
Rejón:Zeta 7.
Interrogator: What happened when Osiel was captured?
Rejón: When Osiel was captured, what happened later was that Jorge Costilla Sanchez [el Coss] took control of the organization.
Interrogator: What happened when Los Zetas separated from the Golfo?
Rejón: They [CDG] began to do business with La Familia Michoacána, El MayoZambada with el Chapo Guzman and people from Jalisco. They created their alliance, and when we broke away, they were already organized and began to kill our people. That’s when the organization was split in two: Los Zetas and Golfo Cartel.
Interrogator: And this is when the separation began between Golfo and Zetas?
Rejón: That’s when the separation began.
Interrogator: Are you basically at war with everyone?
Rejón: They, the Golfo, created an alliance [with them], and we’re at war with El Mayo, El Chapo, La Familia Michoacána, and Jalisco. We’re at war with all of them.
Interrogator: You know La Familia is from Michoacán, El Chango Mendez (leader of La Familia who was discovered to be distributing weapons purchased from the U.S. BATF) went to Aguascalientes to dialog with Los Zetas, was he asking you for protection?
Rejón: He was trying to reach out to us.
Interrogator: Why?
Rejón: To dialog because they killed all his people and he asked for our support.
Interrogator: Would that have been possible?
Rejón: In my opinion, whoever betrays you once, can betray you again, so it wouldn’t have been a good idea, but I don’t know what the commanders would think about that.
Interrogator: And La Tuta? [Leader of Knights Templar] Is there a relation between him and Los Zetas?
Rejón: No. His organization is with Golfo, so he’s our enemy.
Interrogator: The relationship between La Tuta, La Familia Michoacána and the Knights Templar with Golfo makes them your enemies?
Rejón: Yes, because they’re killing our people and we’re trying to stop them.
Interrogator: With respect to the relationship between Arturo Beltran and La Familia, then Beltran falls, then el Chayo falls, then Chango, what do you think happened in Michoacán?
Rejón: Michoacán collapsed because in essence, they didn’t keep their word. There was never a deal reached with them. In fact, when Arturo [Beltran] went down, there was a cease-fire, but they (LFM) broke it, and they went to war against Arturo and sought refuge with el Valencia.
Interrogator: So, after that everyone started to split off and work for themselves?
Rejón: Yes. That’s when the war started. By that time, we were already working for ourselves.
Interrogator: How did you all begin to work independently?
Rejón: Since we no longer had ties with anybody, we began to bring the material (drugs) ourselves.
Interrogator: How do you obtain the drugs? Which Colombian cartel do you work with?
Rejón: I do not know. That’s handled by different personnel. But it has always been brought through Guatemala because the Colombians are not trustworthy.
Interrogator: They bring it from somewhere else?
Rejón: From Guatemala. It can be bought from Colombia, Panama, or Guatemala. We buy it from Guatemala.
Interrogator: And where do you get your weapons?
Rejón: From the United States. All weapons come from the U.S.
Interrogator: How are they brought here?
Rejón: Crossing the river. We used to bring them through the bridge, but it’s become harder to do that.
Interrogator: Who purchases the weapons?
Rejón: They are bought in the U.S. The buyers have said that sometimes they would acquire them from the U.S. Government itself.
Interrogator: And nowadays, who distribute them to you?
Rejón: It’s more difficult for us to acquire weapons nowadays, but we find ways. But it’s easier for Golfo to bring them across the border.
Interrogator: Why?
Rejón: We don’t know why, but they bring them in the trunk of their cars without being checked One can only think that they must have reached a deal with the government.
Interrogator: How often are they smuggled?
Rejón: Today it’s more difficult so it’s more sporadic, like every month, every 20 days, or every month and a half. It’s done whenever there’s an opportunity.
Interrogator: And the drugs?
Rejón: The drugs are handled by a group of accountants. They handle that in private. It’s compartmentalized. Only they know how and when it’s smuggled to the United States. I suppose, with the way that things are right now, they probably smuggle the drug shipments every two or three months.
Interrogator: How is the drug shipments smuggled to the U.S.?
Rejón: They bring it to the U.S. through Laredo, but that’s done by a designated group handled by the accountants. They are responsible for all that.
Interrogator: Let’s talk about San Luis Potosi, do you remember the attack on the ICE agents?
Rejón Yes. They [Zetas] were travelling in a caravan of bullet-proof vehicles. They mistook them for other people and cut them off.
Interrogator: What’s happening in Tamaulipas?
Rejón: In Tamaulipas, there’s a war because of the separation of the cartels. But we’re on hold because there is too much government [soldiers] presence.
Interrogator: Tell me about the armored vehicles. How were they made? How many of these vehicles were under your command?
Rejón: Three, ..Five at one time.
Interrogator: And out of these five vehicles, what type were they?
Rejón They were armored trucks typically known as monsters.
Interrogator: Were you ever prepared for being captured?
Rejón: One always knows that sooner or later, we will be captured.
Interrogator: Is there someone you would like to ask for forgiveness?
Rejón: Like how?
Interrogator: For your actions, or disappointing somebody, perhaps your children or your family?
Rejón: (this question seems the only time he reflects emotion) Yes. My Mother, because since all of this has happened, I haven’t seen her, for 17 years.
Interrogator: Knowing that you haven’t seen your mother and that she’s still alive, how do you feel?
Rejón: It’s hard. It’s painful, but oh well…..
If you missed "Week 1" link here for "Week 2" link hereNote from Chivis:
We will be posting closing arguments by Friday and will be on verdict watch. Our courtroom source has agreed to allow us to write a little about him and his impression of being up close and personal to the case, after he is no longer going to the courthouse. He has done an excellent job and now that we are near the finish I concede it was worth the long hours of research and editing.