There's been quite a controversy after Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was serving a 40-year sentence after the 1985 kidnapping, torture and slaying of Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, was released from prison after a Mexican judge in Jalisco state overturned his conviction in August. He had served 28 years when he was freed. The court ruled that Caro Quintero had been incorrectly tried in the country's federal judicial system, when he should have been tried at the state level. Caro Quintero, now 61, was the leader of Mexico's now-defunct Guadalajara Cartel. His gang has also been implicated in the killing of six other Americans.
The drug kingpin was last seen walking out of a medium security prison in the state of Jalisco around 2 a.m. on Aug. 9. The slayings decades ago profoundly damaged U.S.-Mexico relations and remained a sore spot in the drug war, so it came as no surprise that the drug lord's release in August infuriated U.S. officials once again. The U.S. Justice Department said freeing Caro Quintero was "deeply troubling" and it would "vigorously continue its efforts to ensure" that he faces charges for his crimes. The U.S. State Department says it will pay up to $5 million for information leading to Caro Quintero's arrest or conviction.
The Drug Enforcement Administration described Caro Quintero as fugitive from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on felony murder and kidnapping charges, in addition to other criminal charges. "Caro Quintero was the organizer and mastermind of this atrocious act, and his unexpected release from a Mexican prison was shocking and disturbing to law enforcement professionals on both sides of the border," DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart said in a statement Tuesday. She said the U.S. government "will utilize every tool available, including the State Department Narcotics Rewards Program, to bring Caro Quintero to justice."
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