The 20 facts that Noé Montes Bobadilla confessed in the United States

February 5, 2019 was a pivotal day for Noé Montes-Bobadilla , the leader of the Montes-Bobadilla Cartel, one of the most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in Honduras.

Before U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in a courtroom in the Eastern District of Virginia , Noé pleaded guilty in a confession that revealed 20 detailed details of how his empire moved tons of cocaine from South America to the United States.

What happened in that room was not just a judicial statement, but a window into the network of violence, corruption and power that sustained his organization.

Below are the most important points that Montes-Bobadilla admitted as true:

1. Humble origins, but a rise to drug power:

Noé Montes-Bobadilla, Honduran, born in December 1983, confessed to being part of the family cocaine trafficking operation from 2006 until his capture in 2017.

2. Period of operation:

From 2006, until his arrest on June 14, 2017, in Honduras Noé Montes and his associates, including Tito Montes-Bobadilla (now deceased) , Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla (alias Chinda), Alejandro Montes-Bobadilla (alias Pimpi), Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla (alias Mono).

3. Transport of cocaine:

The defendant and his conspirators acquired and transported large quantities of cocaine from sources in South America , primarily Colombia, to Honduras .

From there, they transported it through Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico for eventual distribution in the United States.

4. Transportation methods:

They used speedboats, non-commercial aircraft and submersible vessels to receive cocaine from South America in support of this conspiracy.

5. Operations in Honduras:

The organization operated primarily in the department of Colón, in northeastern Honduras, bordering the Caribbean Sea.

There they received air and sea shipments of cocaine, transporting it inland, using boats along the Limón River , until the drugs were transferred to other vehicles for transport to Honduras.

6. Collaboration with Amulfo Fagot-Máximo:

The accused worked together with Fagot-Máximo to receive cocaine in Raya, Gracias a Dios , and transport it in speedboats to Limón, Colón.

7. Family cartel control:

Following the death of his father, Tito Montes-Bobadilla, in May 2010, Noé assumed control of the family cocaine trafficking organization, overseeing imports, transportation, sales and the management of profits.

8. Sale and transportation of cocaine:

The Montes-Bobadilla organization purchased cocaine for resale and also transported drugs for other traffickers in exchange for a fee, usually a percentage of the amount transported.

9. Business with Los Valles and Los Cachiros:

They supplied cocaine and offered transportation services for the Los Valles and Los Cachiros organizations, moving thousands of kilograms of cocaine for these cartels.

10. Millionaire earnings:

The organization received millions of dollars in US currency for the sale and transportation of cocaine.

These profits financed the organization’s operations and served to pay its workers and acquire properties in Honduras.

11. Use of firearms:

The defendant and members of his organization regularly carried firearms, including pistols, rifles and shotguns, to protect their operations.

12. Violence and murders:

The defendant and his organization committed numerous acts of violence, including murder, to protect their drug trafficking operations.

They also made payments to public officials, such as police and law enforcement officers, to facilitate and protect their operations.

13. Financing of murders:

Noé Montes participated in financing the assassination of General Julián Arístides González in December 2009.

Gonzalez was killed due to his efforts to disrupt drug trafficking operations in Honduras.

14. Murder of Miriam Yolanda Canales Ramos:

In June 2013, the defendant ordered the murder of Canales, a permanent resident of the United States, because he believed she was an informant for the U.S. government.

With the help of Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, they managed to locate and kill Canales in a beauty salon in Tocoa , Honduras.

15. Knowledge of the cocaine route:

Montes-Bobadilla knew that the cocaine acquired, transported and distributed by his organization was destined for illegal importation into the United States.

16. Responsibility for tons of cocaine:

The defendant is directly responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine, far beyond the 450 kilograms established as the minimum basis for his conviction.

17. Intention and consciousness:

The defendant accepted that his actions were intentional, conscious and deliberate, without any error or coercion.

18. Declaration of guilt:

Montes-Bobadilla pleaded guilty because he is, in fact, guilty of conspiring to traffic cocaine into the United States.

19. Jurisdiction of the court:

The defendant agreed that the court for the Eastern District of Virginia has jurisdiction and venue over his case, pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code.

20. Limited scope of the declaration:

Montes acknowledged that this statement of facts does not include all of his illegal conduct, but it contains enough information for the court to determine his guilt in the drug trafficking conspiracy.

With these 20 points, Noé Montes-Bobadilla not only admitted his guilt, but also offered a glimpse into the workings of a criminal network that extended its tentacles from the jungles of Honduras to the streets of the United States.

The 37-year sentence is a reflection of the impact of his actions and the revelation of these secrets makes clear the extent of his power and the violence with which he ruled his empire.