Who is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Don Neto

Age: 94 Years, 94 Year Old Males

Family:

father: Rafael Fonseca

siblings: Vicente Carrillo

children: Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Valencia, Esther Fonseca Valencia, Ofelia Fonseca Núñez, Yoanna Fonseca

Partner: Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Rafael Caro Quintero

Born Country: Mexico

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1

Is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo still alive?

No, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo is currently serving a prison sentence.
2

What crimes was Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo convicted of?

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo was convicted of drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime.
3

Where is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo imprisoned?

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo is serving his sentence in a high-security prison in Mexico.
4

What was Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo's role in the Guadalajara Cartel?

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo was a key figure in the Guadalajara Cartel, known for his involvement in drug trafficking operations.
5

How did Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo get involved in the drug trade?

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo became involved in the drug trade through his connections in the criminal underworld and his involvement in the Guadalajara Cartel.

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Childhood & Early Life

There are differences in opinion regarding Fonseca’s date of birth. While some sources suggest he was born on August 1, 1930, other sources argue that he was born much later, in 1942. The ‘DEA’ official records favor the former claim.

There is, however, no controversy regarding Fonseca’s place of birth. He was born and raised in Santiago de los Caballeros, Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Badiraguato, a small town in northern Mexico, where Fonseca had spent his early childhood, is part of the municipality bearing the same name. The region is known as the hometown of several drug lords, such as Joaquín Guzmán.

Evidently, Fonseca grew up in a place that was the breeding ground for criminals, and he himself was shaped by the same. In his early years, he was associated with the criminal organization ‘Aviles.’ Much later, after the death of the leaders of the group, Fonseca took over the drug routes that were previously under the control of the organization.

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Mexican Drug Lords

Criminal Offenses

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo was one of the leaders of the ‘Guadalajara Cartel,’ which is well-known for having forged an amicable relationship with the leading drug lords of Mexico. He supervised the drug cartel along with his two partners, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero. Caro Quintero and Caro Quintero, along with Fonseca, were the co-founders of the said cartel, which prospered between 1980 and 1989.

The cartel was engaged in shipping cocaine, various forms of cannabis, and other drugs to the US. Guadalajara was one of the earliest drug-trafficking groups, and Fonseca, along with his partners, initiated the tyrannical reign of drug lords in Mexico and the US.

The leaders’ alliance with the intelligence agency ‘DFS,’ headed by Miguel Nazar Haro, further allowed the smuggling business to prosper.

Following the death of Avilés, of the infamous criminal organization carrying his name, Fonseca and his partners took over the control of the trafficking routes, later forging business relations with the Colombian cartels, transporting cocaine from Colombia to the US, and charging 50% of the transported cocaine as their payment.

Sources believe that the leaders of the drug cartel were making an annual profit of $5 billion. Fonseca Carrillo and his partners were also involved in other criminal activities, such as money laundering, arms trafficking, extortion, torture, and murder.

Following the arrest of Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero in 1985, Félix Gallardo decided to split the business among various partners. The ‘Juarez’ route was assigned to Fonseca Carrillo’s nephew, Amado Carrillo.

Once arrested, Fonseca Carrillo was also indicted for the murder of ‘DEA’ agent Enrique aka Kiki Camarena. Camarena was reportedly abdicated, tortured, and murdered by the ‘Guadalajara Cartel.’

Initially, Fonseca denied any involvement in the murder, insisting it was carried out under the instructions of Rafael Caro Quintero and that he had personally objected to the torture that Camarena had been subjected to. Later, however, he admitted that he had played a role in the murder of the ‘DEA’ agent.

Arrest & Imprisonment

In 1982, Fonseca Carrillo was charged with money laundering in San Diego. Before the ‘DEA’ could ambush him where he was reported to be hiding, he successfully escaped to Mexico.

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On April 7, 1985, he was arrested by the Mexican army in Puerto Vallarta. The army surrounded his villa before giving him the choice to surrender. He followed the instructions and complied with their instructions.

Fonseca was sentenced to 40 years of imprisonment by the Mexican judicial system. However, in July 2016, he was transferred to his house due to old age and several health issues, including colon cancer and glaucoma.

The petition for his house arrest, first introduced by his defense attorneys in 2013, faced severe opposition from the attorney general’s office and was rejected by the judiciary. Nevertheless, on July 22, 2016, a renewed petition was granted by the Mexican justice system. Following this, Fonseca Carrillo was kept under house arrest. His sentence was scheduled to end in 2025.

Under exclusive probation, Fonseca Carrillo was allowed to step out of his house without the electric bracelet on March 31, 2017, which effectively brought an end to his house arrest. Fonseca lives in a lavish villa in Atizapán de Zaragoza.

Facts About Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, also known as "Don Neto," was a key figure in the Guadalajara Cartel and played a significant role in the early development of the drug trade in Mexico.

Despite his involvement in illegal activities, Fonseca Carrillo was known for his charisma and charm, which helped him build strong relationships within the criminal underworld.

Fonseca Carrillo had a reputation for being a sharp businessman, using his strategic acumen to expand the cartel's operations and influence.

In addition to his criminal activities, Fonseca Carrillo is also known for his love of horses and was involved in the breeding and racing of thoroughbreds.

Fonseca Carrillo's story has been depicted in various films and TV shows, highlighting the complex and multifaceted nature of his character.

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo Biography

You wanted to know

Is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo still alive?

What crimes was Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo convicted of?

Where is Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo imprisoned?

What was Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo's role in the Guadalajara Cartel?

How did Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo get involved in the drug trade?