SAN DIEGO, CA – A leading figure in the infamous MS-13 and Mexican Mafia gangs, Nelson Alexander Flores, has been sentenced to more than 17 years in a U.S. federal prison. Prosecutors revealed that Flores was the linchpin in the distribution of over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine each month on behalf of the international gang.
Between 2018 and May 2020, Flores, a resident of Tijuana, Mexico, orchestrated the supply of methamphetamine from various sources in Mexico. The drugs were then spread across the United States under the aegis of the MS-13 street gang and the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Flores, who is also known by several aliases including “Mula,” “El 40,” “Cuarenta,” “Juan,” and “Juanita,” was handed a 210-month sentence in relation to the international drug conspiracy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of California, which made the sentence public, highlighted that the maximum penalty for the Title 21 drug statute is life in prison and a $10 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden emphasized that Flores imported the drugs into San Diego from Mexico, from where they were dispatched to other communities across the United States. He lauded the partnership with Joint Task Force Vulcan in the prosecution as a significant step in the fight against drug trafficking.
John Durham, Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan, underscored that Flores was a key player in MS-13’s international drug operations, coordinating the importation and distribution of narcotics throughout the United States. His conviction and sentence signify a major disruption in the operations of the gang.
Flores is also serving a five-year term in federal prison for his involvement in an MS-13 RICO case in the Southern District of Ohio. The court decreed that the term of imprisonment in the Southern District of California case will run concurrently with the one in Ohio.
Since its establishment in August 2019, the Department of Justice stated that Joint Task Force Vulcan has effectively implemented a comprehensive strategy to combat MS-13. This includes ramping up coordination with domestic and foreign law enforcement partners, targeted prosecutions, and significant MS-13 indictments.