DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Southern District of Texas

For Immediate Release

Monday, August 27, 2018
Ryan K. Patrick
, United States Attorney
Contact: AUSA Assigned

Another Cardenas Family Member Sent to Federal Prison

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The son of the former Gulf Cartel leader has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of illegally possessing a firearm and impersonating a U.S. Marshal, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Osiel Cardenas Jr., 26, pleaded guilty May 22, 2018.
 
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., handed Cardenas a 27-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Cardenas to pay a $15,000 fine.
 
On March 14, 2018, authorities responded to the SKY Bar and Lounge in Brownsville in response to reports of an individual within the club brandishing a firearm. That person was identified as Cardenas. He was found next to his vehicle within the SKY Bar and Lounge parking lot and arrested for public intoxication. At the time of his arrest, Cardenas informed officers he was a U.S. Marshal and asked them to look at his badge. Hanging on his neck, under his shirt, officers located a gold colored Cameron County District Attorney’s badge. Officers also found a Bersa, .380 caliber firearm inside his vehicle which also contained his identification documents and U.S. currency.
 
Witnesses identified Cardenas as the individual inside the nightclub brandishing the firearm. They also identified the firearm recovered from his vehicle as the firearm they had seen Cardenas brandish within the nightclub. They indicated Cardenas had also displayed a gold colored badge and identified himself as a U.S. Marshal. The witnesses indicated Cardenas ordered patrons to leave the nightclub or they would be arrested for failure to follow his commands.
 
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Brownsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro is prosecuting the case.
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Houston Field Division