Zetas drug cartel leader convicted on drug charges
A 38-year-old man authorities said had led the Zetas drug cartel in Mexico had been convicted of seven drug-trafficking charges.
Juan Francisco Treviño Chavez was the nephew of two previous bosses of the cartel, which has since fragmented into multiple cliques. Authorities say he was responsible for shipments of millions of pounds of drugs worth billions of dollars into Texas.
A federal jury deliberated for about two hours in Waco before returning its verdicts on charges of conspiracy to traffic drugs inland through South Texas, conspiracy to possess firearms and laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds. He could be sentenced to up to life in prison.
He was arrested nearly two years ago outside Houston. Records show he refused a plea deal that carried a 30-year prison sentence.
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