Former U.S. Marshal speaks on two Barrio Azteca members extradited to U.S.
UPDATE (02/26/2025): Former U.S. Marshal and retired Deputy Chief for the El Paso Police Department Robert Almonte oversaw the security issues regarding the trial of the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juárez murders in 2010.
As a former U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas, Almonte was assigned to this case to check the prisoner transport and everything related to the suspects of this multi-person murder south of the border.
"Well, I remember it was a really big deal. I mean, when you think about it, two U.S. citizens were killed, one an employee at the consulate in Juárez and the other one a detention officer with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office," Almonte said.
"They were killed, senselessly, by the Barrio Azteca gang, so I knew it was a big deal. My concern and our concern during the trial was Barrio Azteca maybe attempting to take our prisoners and take them back to Juárez," Almonte mentioned.
Back during the trial, Almonte had to ask for help from other federal agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to transport the prisoners to and from the courthouse back to jail.
"The United States Marshals is always involved in looking for fugitives that are hiding out in Mexico, for example, Chapo Guzman, the United States marshals were directly involved in assisting in locating him and, and I guess guiding Mexican law enforcement to make the arrest," Almonte said.
JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Two Barrio Azteca members implicated in the March 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez were just extradited to the U.S. to face charges.
Eduardo Ravelo, aka Tablas, Tablero, and T-Blas, as well as Enrique Guajardo Lopez, aka Kiki made their initial appearances in federal court after their extradition on February 20, 2025.
Ravelo, Lopez, and other defendants were charged with killing U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs, and the husband of another consulate employee, Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros. Prosecutors say all 35 Barrio Azteca defendants have been apprehended, three have been convicted at trial, 28 have pleaded guilty, one has committed suicide, and another is still waiting for extradition from Mexico.
“The defendants allegedly participated in the murder of three U.S. Consulate employees in Mexico in March 2010, along with many other acts of senseless violence,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No U.S. citizen, on either side of our border with Mexico, should have to live in fear of Barrio Azteca, any other violent border gang, or any drug cartel. The defendants’ extradition to the United States is an example of the Department’s unwavering commitment to eliminating transnational criminal organizations and the pursuit of justice for the victims of those tragic murders in Juarez, Mexico.”
