A U.S. Magistrate Judge has ordered Osiel Cardenas Jr., son of drug kingpin Osiel Cardenas Guillen, to remain in custody until his trial on gun smuggling charges takes place.
Cardenas Jr. was indicted on April 22, 2021, on a charge that he knowingly tried to export from the United States to Mexico five Bushmaster rifles XM15-E2S, caliber 223-5.56 and five Zastava rifles, model M90, caliber 7.6sx39, contrary to the law and regulated of the U.S.
In addition, he is accused of attempting to conceal the transportation of the weapons knowing them to be intended for exportation contrary to the law and regulation of the U.S.
In issuing his order that Cardenas remain in custody, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III pointed out that in according to his pretrial report, Cardenas poses a risk of nonappearance and a flight risk according to his criminal history which consists of several felony convictions and a history of non-compliance.
The order states “The defendant lacks verifiable employment, has a history of substance abuse, and a pending charge for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Furthermore, the defendant has continued criminal activity while under supervision.” The order was signed on Feb.3
In August 2018, Cardenas Jr. was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison following his conviction of illegally in possession of a firearm and impersonating a U.S. Marshal. He pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2018. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison in addition to three years of supervised release. He was released from federal prison March 25, 2020, according to U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons. His supervised release ends March 24, 2023.
Cardenas Jr. also has a pending aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Federal court documents reveal that Cardenas Jr. allegedly stabbed two people outside a Brownsville bar in December 2021 because he was refused entrance into the establishment because a private party was being held there.
An arrest warrant for Cardenas Jr. was issued on Dec. 8, and he was arrested on Dec. 13 in Brownsville, the documents indicate. He had been on supervised release at that time.
Jury selection for Cardenas Jr.’s gun smuggling trial is scheduled for April 4.
