Top Leaders of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel La Nueva Familia Michoacana Indicted in Atlanta
Siblings Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, known as “El Pez,” and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, known as “El Fresa,” alleged co-leaders of the powerful La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM) drug cartel based in Guerrero, Mexico, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia on multiple drug trafficking and importation conspiracy charges. The indictments, returned in September 2024 and recently unsealed, accuse the brothers of conspiring to manufacture and distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, knowing these substances would be imported into the United States.
Prior to his indictment, Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga was designated a Consolidated Priority Target (CPOT) by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Both brothers are currently fugitives believed to be in Mexico.
In a coordinated effort to dismantle the cartel, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced new sanctions against Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, as well as their siblings and LNFM members Ubaldo Hurtado Olascoaga and Adita Hurtado Olascoaga. This follows the U.S. Department of State’s designation of LNFM as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on February 20, 2025. Adding further pressure, the Department of State has also announced Narcotics Rewards Program offers of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and up to $3 million for Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga.
The investigation has also led to charges against other high-ranking LNFM members and associates. Franco Tabares Martinez, 51, of Guerrero, Mexico, was previously indicted in July 2023 for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and related charges. His brother Pablo Tabares Martinez pleaded guilty to a similar charge in January 2025, and another brother, Uriel Tabares-Martinez, was also sanctioned by OFAC.
Most recently, Franco Tabares Martinez’s sister, Guadalupe Tabares Martinez, also known as “Yosel Medrano Hernandez” and “Lupe,” 48, of Mableton, Georgia, was indicted on April 8, 2025, for conspiracy to commit international money laundering, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money services business, and related substantive counts. She is accused of helping her brother and other drug traffickers by picking up bulk currency and using her business, Noyola Multiservice, to transmit drug proceeds to Mexico.
“Today’s indictments and OFAC sanctions against high-ranking LNFM cartel members sends a clear message: if you contribute to the death of Americans by peddling poison into our communities, we will work relentlessly to find you and bring you to justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. stated, “These cartel members are allegedly responsible for importing massive amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl from Mexico to the Atlanta area and across the United States, and then wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds from distributing those drugs back to Mexico. These federal indictments, in conjunction with the imposition of OFAC sanctions, send a strong message that we will tirelessly investigate, prosecute, and defund individuals around the globe who choose to import deadly drugs into, and risk the lives of the members of, our communities.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent added, “Today’s action underscores our commitment to intensify the pressure on violent drug cartels like LNFM, who continue to traffic deadly fentanyl and other drugs, smuggle illegal aliens over our Southwest border, and attack law enforcement. The Trump administration will continue to use all available tools to target the cartels and other violent organizations that attempt to exploit our communities and harm Americans.”
Senior Bureau Official F. Cartwright Weiland of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) emphasized the rewards being offered, stating, “President Trump has promised to crack down on the flow of deadly drugs into our country. And today, working with the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of State is delivering on that promise by offering rewards totaling up to $8 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the Hurtado brothers.”
The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), highlights the extensive reach and impact of the LNFM cartel. Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division Jae W. Chung said, “Cases like this exemplify the value of partnerships. The volume of dangerous drugs and violence impacts our communities beyond comprehension. This investigation and subsequent indictments demonstrate DEA’s commitment to protecting our community by destroying these drug trafficking organizations.”
Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in Georgia and Alabama, added, “The indictment of senior leaders of this brutal Mexican cartel and subsequent OFAC sanctions makes one thing clear, we are coming after these criminal networks and utilizing every weapon in our arsenal. Through aggressive interagency coordination, HSI and our law enforcement partners are not only seizing their drugs and arresting their members, but we are also cutting off their money, dismantling their infrastructure, and bringing their leaders to justice. This operation underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and dismantling the criminal enterprises that profit from violence and addiction.”
The public is reminded that these are just charges, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel Milam and Bethany Rupert, with valuable contributions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrison of the Middle District of Georgia.
