Family members of Sinaloa Cartel arrested as $10m reward offered to catch kingpin of ‘Chapitos’

A Southern California family allegedly tied to the Sinaloa Cartel is behind bars, but a fifth suspect is still on the run, after feds busted what they say was a major fentanyl, meth and ghost gun operation.

Four men were arrested Tuesday and were expected to appear in federal court in downtown Los Angeles, prosecutors said.

The defendants, Jose Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, Alfonso Salazar, 46, Jose Manuel Salazar, 22 and Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, are all members of the same family.

Authorities say three of them are undocumented immigrants from Mexico.

A fifth co-defendant, Jose Angel Lopez Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock, is still being sought.

Federal prosecutors unveiled a 29-count indictment accusing the group of running a drug trafficking and illegal firearms operation from February 2024 through December 2025.

Investigators allege the men worked together to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine while also selling weapons, including untraceable “ghost guns.”

At the center of the case is Salazar-Cruz, known as “Oso,” who authorities say coordinated deals using text messages, encrypted apps, phone calls and face-to-face meetings.

The other defendants allegedly arranged transactions between suppliers and buyers and handled in-person sales.

The indictment outlines a series of large drug deals. On Jan. 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz allegedly sold nearly one pound of methamphetamine along with about 324 grams of fentanyl.

On July 30, he was accused of selling roughly 1.2 kilograms of meth, followed by another deal involving approximately 2.3 kilograms on Dec. 19.

Prosecutors say the group also trafficked firearms between December 2024 and July 2025.

Among the weapons allegedly sold were a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a “street sweeper” destructive device, and a privately made AR-style rifle without a serial number, commonly referred to as a ghost gun.

Salazar-Cruz faces the most extensive list of charges, including multiple counts of drug distribution, being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, trafficking in firearms, possession of a destructive device and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.

The remaining defendants face a range of drug and gun-related felonies.

Paniagua, the fugitive, is accused of supplying narcotics sourced from Sinaloa Cartel members and faces additional charges, including possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and multiple counts of drug distribution.

According to prosecutors, members of the group told a buyer in May 2025 that their drugs were transported from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico, crossing the border by trailer before reaching Southern California.

All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, as well as engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.

If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and could receive up to life behind bars.

The case is being investigated by a coalition of federal and local agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service and multiple Southern California law enforcement departments.

The arrests come as authorities intensify efforts against the Sinaloa Cartel.

The arrests come as officials announced an increased reward for cartel figure Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, one of the “Chapitos,” who assumed control of the organization after their father, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Officials emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.