Ernesto “Don Neto” Fonseca Carrillo, a notorious drug lord and co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel, has been released from prison after serving a 40-year sentence for his role in the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Federal agents confirmed his release late Wednesday.
At 94 years old, Fonseca had been serving the remainder of his sentence under home confinement outside Mexico City since being transferred from prison in 2016. The confirmation of his release came from a federal agent who requested anonymity due to restrictions on discussing the case publicly. Fonseca was released last weekend.
Fonseca was arrested in Puerto Vallarta in 1985 and has long been implicated in the violent operations of the Guadalajara Cartel. His co-founder, Rafael Caro Quintero, who was also convicted in Camarena’s murder, was among 29 cartel figures extradited to the United States in February.
It remains unclear whether U.S. authorities will seek Fonseca’s extradition following his release. The DEA agent’s murder was a pivotal moment in the U.S.-Mexico drug war, resulting in increased enforcement efforts and a heightened focus on cartel activities.
The release of Fonseca marks a significant moment in the ongoing saga of drug trafficking and law enforcement in both Mexico and the United States, as the implications of his freedom continue to unfold.
