A Mexican national, Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, has entered a guilty plea in federal court for charges related to operating a continuing criminal enterprise and money laundering. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the plea on July 7, 2025. The charges were part of a broader investigation involving a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy.
Monarrez-Mendoza, aged 55, appeared before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan to enter his plea. He was among 35 individuals indicted in January 2024 for their roles in distributing significant quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The indictment followed an investigation into the Phoenix-based Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization that Monarrez-Mendoza co-led with his son.
Court documents revealed that between September and November 2022, Monarrez-Mendoza coordinated drug operations through intercepted communications over a federal wiretap. These operations included acquiring substantial amounts of drugs from a supplier in Mexico and redistributing them across the United States. Furthermore, he managed over $100,000 from drug sales to be smuggled into Mexico to support ongoing trafficking activities.
Sentencing is set for December 5, 2025. The potential penalties include a minimum of 20 years to life imprisonment and fines up to $2 million. The final sentence will depend on the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Tonya S. Goodman are leading the prosecution efforts against Monarrez-Mendoza. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case forms part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while addressing illegal immigration issues and protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
