Siblings Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, known as “El Pez,” “Pescado,” and “Mojarra,” and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, also known as “El Fresa,” “El Feyo,” and “La Fruta,” have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia. They are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute several drugs, knowing these substances would be imported into the United States. The indictments, which were issued in September 2024, were recently made public. Both brothers are currently fugitives, believed to be in Mexico.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also announced new sanctions against the Hurtado Olascoaga siblings, including Ubaldo and Adita Hurtado Olascoaga, as members of La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM). The Department of State has declared LNFM as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. The department has also offered rewards of up to $5 million and $3 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, respectively.
Franco Tabares Martinez, a high-ranking member of the cartel, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. His siblings, Uriel and Pablo Tabares Martinez, have also faced sanctions and legal consequences. Guadalupe Tabares Martinez, from Georgia, has been charged with conspiracy to commit international money laundering and operating an unlicensed money services business.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the aim to hold accountable those who pose threats to communities through drug trafficking. Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr., stated that the coordinated actions of indictments and OFAC sanctions indicate a strong stance against drug cartels. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent underlined the administration's dedication to targeting violent criminal organizations. F. Cartwright Weiland of the Department of State affirmed the government's commitment to stopping illegal drug flow into the United States.
This operation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to eradicate cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The initiative leverages resources from the Department of Justice to protect communities from violent crime. The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and Northern Georgia.
The public is reminded that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Investigations are being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, with multiple Assistant U.S. Attorneys leading the prosecution.
For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office or visit their website.