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'The lengthy sentence he received makes the U.S. a safer place.' | Mexican drug lord sentenced

The American-born cartel leader moved countless amounts of cocaine and other drugs through this country via Atlanta and Memphis.

Sketch by Richard Miller

ATLANTA -- Mexican drug cartel leader Edgar Valdez-Villareal, “La Barbie,” has been found guilty on charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering. A judge sentenced him to 49 years and one month in federal prison.

Valdez-Villareal was a high-ranking member of Mexico-based Sinaloa and Arturo Beltran-Leyva Drug Cartels, according to Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. He and the cartel distributed 1,500 kilograms of cocaine in Atlanta within six months in 2005 according to the Department of Justice.

Sketch by Richard Miller

“His ruthless and violent drug trafficking activities posed a significant threat to the quality of life in our country and elsewhere. The lengthy sentence he received makes the U.S. a safer place,” said Murphy.

“La Barbie” started his drug trafficking career in 2000 in Texas distributing marijuana, according to information presented in court. That information also revealed that he then moved on to trafficking cocaine in New Orleans and Memphis and connected with the Arturo Beltran-Leyva cartel.

The cartel’s involvement helped Valdez-Villareal set up cocaine shipments to go through South America “using speed boats and airplanes, while also paying bribes to local law enforcement officials,” said the Department of Justice.

Drug Kingpin Edgar Valdez Villarreal AKA 'La Barbie' 2016

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AFP/Getty Images

Edgar Valdez Villareal aka "La Barbie" (C) of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel, is presented to the press at the Federal Police headquarters in Mexico City, on August 31, 2010. Mexican authorities on Monday announced the capture of one of the country's most sought after drug kingpins, US-born Valdez Villarreal, known as "the Barbie" for his fair complexion. Valdez was detained in a police operation in central Mexico, following intelligence work which began in June 2009. The 37-year-old was a key lieutenant of Arturo Beltran Leyva, who headed the cartel that bears his name and was Mexico's third most-wanted man until his December 2009 death in a military operation. AFP PHOTO/Alfredo Estrella (Photo credit should read ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images)

The DOJ said he became a high-ranking enforcer for the cartel and coordinated war against the cartel’s rivals. The cartel then set up a more organized process for distributing cocaine in Atlanta and Memphis by using tractor trailers to move up to 600 kilograms from Mexico every week, according to the DOJ.

“La Barbie” was extradited from Mexico to Atlanta in October 2015 with 12 other defendants. The drug trafficker was sentenced to 49 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $192 million by the judge.

“He will now go to federal prison for nearly the rest of life. The highest levels of Mexican drug cartel should know that, like La Barbie, they will be held accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak.

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