By Alex Hinojosa
El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas — An El Paso Barrio Azteca gang leader, Roberto Angel Cardona, “Little Angelillo,” was sentenced to life in prison without parole by a U.S. District Judge Tuesday.
Cardona was an El Paso Barrio Azteca leader in 2010 until he was arrested on drug charges on April 30.
Cardona pleaded guilty on Aug. 2, 2011.
According to testimony presented at the sentencing, Cardona participated in the gang’s activities by distributing narcotics, including heroin and cocaine, and collected extortion funds. The funds were sent to fellow Barrio Azteca members in prison.
One witness said that Cardona ordered the beatings of fellow Barrio Azteca members and personally assaulted a drug dealer who would not pay extortion money.
Officials said Cardona ordered extortions, assaults and kidnappings.
The court also found that Cardona’s offenses involved more than 30 kilograms of heroin and 150 kilograms of cocaine.
Officials said Cardona directly imported large quantities of these drugs and sold them to retail drug dealers.
According to court document members and associates of the Barrio Azteca gang have engaged in extortion, money laundering, kidnapping, and murdering, including the slayings in Juarez, of U.S. consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee.
A total of 35 members and associates of the gang, including Cardona and 18 others who have pleaded guilty, were indicted with various counts of racketeering, murder, drug offenses, money laundering and obstruction of justice.
The trial is set to begin April 6, 2012.
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