Over Fifty Indicted Criminals Extradited By Mexico This Year

Mexico City | June 29, 2009

On June 25, 2009, the government of Mexico extradited three fugitives to the United States, marking 54 extraditions since the beginning of 2009, and demonstrating the Calderon administration’s continuing strong commitment to bilateral law enforcement cooperation. The number of indicted criminals returned to the U.S. this year includes 11 fugitives wanted in the United States for murder and 13 fugitives wanted for committing sexual assaults on child victims.

In the beginning of 2009, the government of Mexico extradited Mexican national Miguel Caro Quintero, who is wanted in Colorado and Arizona for trafficking narcotics. Caro Quintero is alleged to have supplied multi-ton shipments of marihuana and cocaine to the United States, and received millions of dollars in proceeds from the sale of illegal narcotics.

Cesar Armando Laurean, a United States citizen, was surrendered to the United States in April 2009. He was wanted in Onslow County, North Carolina for murder, robbery, and related offenses. In May 2007, Laurean, a United States Marine, allegedly sexually assaulted Maria Frances Lauterbach, a United States Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In December 2007, while the sexual assault investigation was still pending, Lauterbach disappeared, and her burned remains together with those of her unborn child were later discovered on Laurean’s property.

Ever Villafane Martinez, a Colombian national, was surrendered to the United States in April 2009. He will stand trial in the Southern District of California for federal narcotics trafficking and money laundering offenses. Villafane Martinez was allegedly a member of the Alejandro Bernal Madrigal drug trafficking organization, which shipped thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia for ultimate distribution in the United States.

Every one of these dangerous criminals is now off the Mexican streets and will face justice in the United States. Extraditions between Mexico and the United States have increased steadily over the last several years, demonstrating our mutual resolve that criminals in both countries will not escape accounting for their crimes. We look forward to continuing cooperation in protecting our peoples from both drug cartels and common criminals.