Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Alien Smuggling and Providing Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization

Two Mexican nationals, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez and Gustavo Castro-Medina, have pleaded guilty to several federal charges, including alien smuggling and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The charges involve activities linked to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), which is officially recognized by the U.S. government as a foreign terrorist organization.

According to Department of Justice court documents, Navarro-Sanchez conspired to traffic firearms from the United States to Mexico to benefit the CJNG. This included a documented attempt in August 2023 to purchase twenty AK-47 style weapons and two .50 caliber rifles from undercover agents. The firearms were intended for illegal export to Mexico to support narcotics trafficking. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez admitted to working with smugglers to illegally transport individuals from Mexico into the United States and using stash houses in El Paso, Texas, to store narcotics and weapons.

The plea also addresses the activities of Castro-Medina, who acted as an intermediary to facilitate a $3,000 wire transfer to undercover agents as a downpayment for the weapons deal. Court records further noted that Castro-Medina was previously intercepted by U.S. Border Patrol in Sierra Blanca, Texas, in 2020, while transporting over 36 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a Nissan Sentra.

The defendants were indicted in April 2025. Following their arrest, the Mexican government transferred both individuals to the United States to face prosecution. Navarro-Sanchez pleaded guilty to counts including conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking, conspiracy to bring aliens into the U.S., and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.