Former Honduran Official Sentenced To 262 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Acts Of Violence

Press Release Former Honduran Official Sentenced To 262 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Acts Of Violence Thursday, December 4, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios, a Former Military Official and Congressman in Honduras, Protected Cocaine Shipments and Carried Out Murders, Kidnappings, and Torture as Part of a Conspiracy Involving Honduran Public Officials & Drug Traffickers United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that MIDENCE OQUELI MARTINEZ TURCIOS, a former Honduran military official and congressman, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and for his participation in multiple related acts of violence. MARTINEZ TURCIOS previously pled guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s December 2024 Fatico hearing.“For years, Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios partnered with violent drug traffickers and other corrupt officials to send tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He will now rightfully spend decades in prison. I thank the career prosecutors of this Office and our steadfast partners at the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, for their commitment to holding accountable those who abuse their positions to flood this country with cocaine.”“Martinez Turcios abused the trust of the Honduran people and the responsibilities of elected office,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “Instead of serving his country, he turned a seat in the Honduran Congress into a channel for cartel influence, allowing violence and cocaine to flow into communities in Honduras and across the United States. When public officials, regardless of where they are, choose to stand with the cartels, they become part of the threat we are sworn to confront. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who betray their oath and enable cartel violence will be brought to justice.”As reflected in the charging instruments and other public filings, statements in public court proceedings in this and related prosecutions, and evidence presented at the December 2024 Fatico hearing:MARTINEZ TURCIOS was a key member of the Cachiros, which was one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in Honduras, responsible for trafficking more than 100 tons of cocaine to the United States between approximately 2003 and 2013 and dozens of drug-related murders. The Cachiros trafficked ton-quantities of cocaine by relying upon, among others, corrupt Honduran government, military, and police officials at the highest levels in Honduras, who were paid bribes in exchange for protecting the Cachiros’s drug shipments and providing them with sensitive military and law enforcement information. To facilitate their drug trafficking operation, the Cachiros also relied upon hitmen from the notorious street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or “MS-13,” to protect drug shipments and carry out murders.MARTINEZ TURCIOS began partnering with the Cachiros in approximately 2003. Over the next decade, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, who previously served in the Honduran military and was related to the leaders of the Cachiros, carried out acts of violence alongside the Cachiros. For example, in 2006, when MARTINEZ TURCIOS was not appointed to be Minister of Security—a position that would have allowed him to further support the Cachiros’s drug operation—he ordered the murder of the Honduran politician who failed to deliver on his promise to appoint MARTINEZ TURCIOS to that position. Shortly thereafter, MARTINEZ TURCIOS also ordered the murder of a Honduran journalist who had spoken publicly about MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s association with the Cachiros—a request that resulted in not only the murder of the journalist, but also the journalist’s significant other. On other occasions, in 2008 and 2011, MARTINEZ TURCIOS himself pulled the trigger in shootings that killed multiple victims who had taken actions adverse to the Cachiros’s interests. Prior to killing one of those victims, MARTINEZ TURCIOS tortured the victim by putting a rope around the victim’s neck and choking him, as well as putting pins in his fingertips. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also participated in the 2012 kidnapping of a drug rival who was later tortured and murdered.Between approximately 2009 and 2014, while MARTINEZ TURCIOS served as a congressman in Honduras, he also worked directly with the Cachiros to receive ton-quantity cocaine shipments at clandestine airstrips located throughout Honduras. Once the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments arrived by aircraft at clandestine airstrips, MARTINEZ TURCIOS led teams of armed men as they transported cocaine shipments across Honduras on its way to the United States. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also used his military experience to train MS-13 hitmen on how to transport and protect the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments. And, finally, MARTINEZ TURCIOS abused his elected position to facilitate the Cachiros’s laundering of drug proceeds by serving as a nominal owner for one of the Cachiros’s front companies, Ganaderos, thus providing the company with an appearance of legitimacy. MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s involvement in narco-corruption and support for the Cachiros continued even after U.S. authorities had publicly identified the Cachiros as a major drug cartel. Indeed, in January 2014, after the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Cachiros and several of their front companies, including Ganaderos, MARTINEZ TURCIOS participated in a meeting with a group of violent drug traffickers and corrupt Honduran politicians. The purpose of the meeting was to align their efforts and support a particular political candidate for President of the Honduran National Congress who could continue protecting their drug trafficking interests. The meeting, which was video recorded, was yet another example of the systemic narco-corruption that MARTINEZ TURCIOS and his co-conspirators helped perpetuate in Honduras during that time.* * *In addition to the prison term, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, 65, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the arrest and March 2023 extradition from Honduras of MARTINEZ TURCIOS.This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated December 4, 2025 Topic National Security Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-251

Press Release Former Honduran Official Sentenced To 262 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Acts Of Violence Thursday, December 4, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios, a Former Military Official and Congressman in Honduras, Protected Cocaine Shipments and Carried Out Murders, Kidnappings, and Torture as Part of a Conspiracy Involving Honduran Public Officials & Drug Traffickers United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that MIDENCE OQUELI MARTINEZ TURCIOS, a former Honduran military official and congressman, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and for his participation in multiple related acts of violence. MARTINEZ TURCIOS previously pled guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s December 2024 Fatico hearing.“For years, Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios partnered with violent drug traffickers and other corrupt officials to send tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He will now rightfully spend decades in prison. I thank the career prosecutors of this Office and our steadfast partners at the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, for their commitment to holding accountable those who abuse their positions to flood this country with cocaine.”“Martinez Turcios abused the trust of the Honduran people and the responsibilities of elected office,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “Instead of serving his country, he turned a seat in the Honduran Congress into a channel for cartel influence, allowing violence and cocaine to flow into communities in Honduras and across the United States. When public officials, regardless of where they are, choose to stand with the cartels, they become part of the threat we are sworn to confront. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who betray their oath and enable cartel violence will be brought to justice.”As reflected in the charging instruments and other public filings, statements in public court proceedings in this and related prosecutions, and evidence presented at the December 2024 Fatico hearing:MARTINEZ TURCIOS was a key member of the Cachiros, which was one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in Honduras, responsible for trafficking more than 100 tons of cocaine to the United States between approximately 2003 and 2013 and dozens of drug-related murders. The Cachiros trafficked ton-quantities of cocaine by relying upon, among others, corrupt Honduran government, military, and police officials at the highest levels in Honduras, who were paid bribes in exchange for protecting the Cachiros’s drug shipments and providing them with sensitive military and law enforcement information. To facilitate their drug trafficking operation, the Cachiros also relied upon hitmen from the notorious street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or “MS-13,” to protect drug shipments and carry out murders.MARTINEZ TURCIOS began partnering with the Cachiros in approximately 2003. Over the next decade, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, who previously served in the Honduran military and was related to the leaders of the Cachiros, carried out acts of violence alongside the Cachiros. For example, in 2006, when MARTINEZ TURCIOS was not appointed to be Minister of Security—a position that would have allowed him to further support the Cachiros’s drug operation—he ordered the murder of the Honduran politician who failed to deliver on his promise to appoint MARTINEZ TURCIOS to that position. Shortly thereafter, MARTINEZ TURCIOS also ordered the murder of a Honduran journalist who had spoken publicly about MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s association with the Cachiros—a request that resulted in not only the murder of the journalist, but also the journalist’s significant other. On other occasions, in 2008 and 2011, MARTINEZ TURCIOS himself pulled the trigger in shootings that killed multiple victims who had taken actions adverse to the Cachiros’s interests. Prior to killing one of those victims, MARTINEZ TURCIOS tortured the victim by putting a rope around the victim’s neck and choking him, as well as putting pins in his fingertips. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also participated in the 2012 kidnapping of a drug rival who was later tortured and murdered.Between approximately 2009 and 2014, while MARTINEZ TURCIOS served as a congressman in Honduras, he also worked directly with the Cachiros to receive ton-quantity cocaine shipments at clandestine airstrips located throughout Honduras. Once the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments arrived by aircraft at clandestine airstrips, MARTINEZ TURCIOS led teams of armed men as they transported cocaine shipments across Honduras on its way to the United States. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also used his military experience to train MS-13 hitmen on how to transport and protect the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments. And, finally, MARTINEZ TURCIOS abused his elected position to facilitate the Cachiros’s laundering of drug proceeds by serving as a nominal owner for one of the Cachiros’s front companies, Ganaderos, thus providing the company with an appearance of legitimacy. MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s involvement in narco-corruption and support for the Cachiros continued even after U.S. authorities had publicly identified the Cachiros as a major drug cartel. Indeed, in January 2014, after the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Cachiros and several of their front companies, including Ganaderos, MARTINEZ TURCIOS participated in a meeting with a group of violent drug traffickers and corrupt Honduran politicians. The purpose of the meeting was to align their efforts and support a particular political candidate for President of the Honduran National Congress who could continue protecting their drug trafficking interests. The meeting, which was video recorded, was yet another example of the systemic narco-corruption that MARTINEZ TURCIOS and his co-conspirators helped perpetuate in Honduras during that time.* * *In addition to the prison term, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, 65, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the arrest and March 2023 extradition from Honduras of MARTINEZ TURCIOS.This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated December 4, 2025 Topic National Security Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-251