Mexican Cartel Kingpin Gets Life for Leading Texas Drug Ring

MIDLAND, TX – A man from Mexico has been sentenced to life in federal prison as the leader of a major drug trafficking operation linked to a Mexican cartel.

Jose Ramon Castillo-Lopez, also known as “Pepo,” 30, from Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico, was found guilty of supplying large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl pills to be sold in the U.S. 

According to court documents, he gave a firearm to a co-conspirator and used a garage in Midland to break down stolen vehicles, which were then used to transport drugs and money.

The case began after Castillo-Lopez was arrested in October 2022 for allegedly shooting a police officer in Seminole, Texas. While he was in jail, DEA agents discovered that Castillo-Lopez was running a drug trafficking group in the U.S. and working closely with members of the cartel in Mexico. His girlfriend, Myra Mendez, and her brother, Aaron Mendez, were put in charge of the operation while he was locked up.

Castillo-Lopez was responsible for distributing large amounts of drugs every month, including up to 300 pounds of meth, over 20 kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of grams of fentanyl pills and heroin. He also helped organize how much of the drugs were needed by the cartel in Mexico and coordinated the collection of money from sales in areas like Amarillo, Midland/Odessa, San Angelo, San Antonio, and Mississippi.

In September 2024, Castillo-Lopez pled guilty to conspiracy charges for distributing over 50 grams of meth and over 5 kilograms of cocaine.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said the life sentence was a major step in the fight against Mexican drug cartels. “Castillo-Lopez helped bring dangerous drugs into our country and spread them in our communities,” he said. “This case shows how law enforcement works together to protect our citizens.”

DEA Special Agent Towanda R. Thorne-James said Castillo-Lopez’s actions endangered lives in Texas and Mississippi, and now he will face the consequences. “The DEA will continue to go after people like him,” she said.

The investigation was supported by the DEA, Texas Department of Public Safety, Midland Sheriff’s Office, Odessa Police Department, and Midland Police Department.