LOS ANGELES, California — Four family members with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested on charges of trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms, according to a federal indictment.
José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, of Lancaster, Alfonso Salazar, 46, of Lancaster, José Manuel Salazar, 22, of Lancaster, and Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, of Hesperia, were taken into custody and are expected to appear in United States District Court in Los Angeles. The defendants, three of whom are illegal aliens from Mexico, face a 29-count indictment alleging conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and engage in firearms dealing without a license, among other charges.
Law enforcement is still searching for a fifth defendant, José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock. The indictment alleges that from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz coordinated the sale of narcotics and firearms using various communication methods. The defendants allegedly brokered sales between suppliers and customers, with multiple drug transactions involving significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl…