Juarez woman sentenced to 20 years for recruiting for Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A 43-year-old Juarez woman was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for recruiting for a Mexican drug trafficking organization.

Karla Adriana Votta-Cardenas is said to have worked for a drug trafficking organization that is allegedly led by Jorge Sanchez-Morales.

Court documents state, the organization primarily trafficked methamphetamine in liquid form from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso.

Later, it was transported to Atlanta, Georgia concealed in fuel tanks of semi tractors. The liquid methamphetamine was then converted to crystal form and distributed.

Documents also state that Sanchez-Morales supervised the operation on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Votta-Cardenas is said to have served as a large scale recruiter. Recruiting drivers through social media ads.

They say she recruited more than 20 drivers using social media, also concealed the fact that they were trafficking drugs.

Votta-Cardenas was arrested by Mexican authorities and extradited to the U.S. on November 1, 2023.