Osiel Cardenas Jr., the son of drug kingpin Osiel Cardenas Guillen, pleaded guilty Tuesday to smuggling guns from the United States into Mexico.
Cardenas appeared before U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. where he admitted 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., federal court documents reflect.
After accepting Cardenas’ guilty plea, Rodriguez ordered he remain in federal custody until his sentencing date, which is scheduled for Nov. 8.
Cardenas had been ordered to remain in federal custody since his arrest last year. 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 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’ legal issues aren’t over yet. He also has a pending aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
A Cameron County grand jury Feb. 23, 2022, indicted him on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly.
Federal court documents allege that Cardenas 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.
Cameron County documents reflect a writ was written that orders Cardenas appear before the 357th state District Court on Sept. 7, for an arraignment hearing on the aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges.
