Four of five men charged with drug trafficking in Southern California that authorities say are linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel were arrested Tuesday, prosecutors said.
José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, Alfonso Salazar, 46, and José Manuel Salazar, 22, all of Lancaster; and Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, of Hesperia, face a total of 29 counts of allegedly trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and firearms, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar are brothers and José Manuel Salazar is Salazar-Cruz’s son. The three elderly men are Mexican citizens, according to prosecutors.
Authorities are still searching for José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock, Calif., who is also charged in the case. The men could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, it is not clear if they have lawyers.
On April 9, 2025, José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, sent an undercover officer photos of firearms. He often contacted consumers via text messages, prosecutors said.
(US Attorney’s Office)
Federal prosecutors allege that from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz coordinated the sale of drugs and firearms using text messages, encrypted messaging apps, phone calls and in-person meetings. Some men facilitated trade between suppliers and customers, sometimes meeting directly with buyers to complete drug sales, prosecutors said.
On Dec. 14, 2024, prosecutors said, Salazar-Cruz spoke by phone with a person he believed to be a gun buyer, a former undercover officer, and they agreed to meet to purchase weapons in the future. Two days later, he met with an undercover police officer and sold him three guns — a shotgun, a shotgun and a shotgun, according to the lawsuit. In April 2025, the document says, Salazar-Cruz sent more pictures of guns to the same manager.
The alleged family-run trafficking ring sold many drugs including meth and fentanyl, often involving a pound or more, prosecutors said.
At one point, Salazar-Cruz and three men told a buyer that their goods came from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico, and were brought across the border in a wagon. Paniagua is said to have received drugs from members of the Sinaloa cartel and sold them to Salazar-Cruz for distribution, according to the lawsuit.
Besides drugs, the Salazars also sold illegal firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber handgun, a street-level assault rifle and an AR-like rifle with no serial number, often called a ghost gun, according to prosecutors.
(US Attorney’s Office)
Salazar-Cruz faces serious charges, including multiple counts of possession of firearms by an illegal alien, multiple counts of drug trafficking, firearms trafficking and possession of unregistered firearms, according to court records.
Alfonso Salazar is charged with drug trafficking, conspiracy to traffic firearms, illegal possession of a firearm by an immigrant, engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license and distribution of methamphetamine.
José Manuel Salazar is charged with drug conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl, conspiracy to smuggle firearms, sale of illegal firearms and possession of an unregistered firearm with short barrels.
Jorge Humberto Salazar is charged with conspiracy to smuggle drugs and firearms and to sell illegal firearms.
Paniagua faces multiple drug and gun-related charges, including possession of a methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution charge, distribution and firearm charges related to possession of weapons in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of an unregistered short-barreled handgun.
