May 10, 2024 - LOS ANGELES, CA – A Compton man who led a Southern California-based drug trafficking organization that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine to Alaska via commercial flights and U.S. mail pleaded guilty on Thursday to a federal narcotics charge.

Raul Cisneros Jr., 45, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He has been in federal custody since October 2020.

According to his plea agreement and other court documents, from at least July 2014 to August 2016, Cisneros managed the operations of a drug trafficking outfit that sold cocaine and methamphetamine to customers.

In October 2015, law enforcement stopped Cisneros in his car while he was en route to an accomplice’s home to pick up money. In his car, Cisneros possessed approximately $5,003 in cash, which were drug proceeds. He also possessed approximately 10 kilograms (22.1 pounds) of cocaine packaged in five separate bundles, which he intended to sell to customers.

After obtaining a search warrant for Cisneros’ home, law enforcement seized from Cisneros’ kitchen cabinets approximately 30.7 kilograms (66.1 pounds) of cocaine, approximately 167.7 grams of crack cocaine, and approximately 3.6 kilograms (1.1 pounds) of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also found hundreds of used empty green cellophane wrappers and a money counter, which Cisneros used to facilitate his drug distribution operation.

Law enforcement also seized from Cisneros’ kitchen four firearms and 72 rounds of ammunition during this search.

In total, agents recovered $568,357 in cash proceeds from drug deals and – in the trunk of Cisneros’ white Honda Accord vehicle, which was parked in the driveway of his residence – approximately 7.02 kilograms (15.5 pounds) of cocaine wrapped in seven packages of green cellophane stashed inside a bag. Cisneros admitted in his plea agreement to intending to distribute the cocaine to others as part of his drug trafficking operation.

Cisneros is the final defendant to plead guilty in this case. Federal prosecutors have secured eight convictions in this matter.

United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin scheduled an August 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Cisneros will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter.  Substantial assistance was provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  This investigation was conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

Assistant United States Attorneys Kathy Yu and Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: DOJ Release