Marine-turned-kingpin pleads guilty in drug trafficking case

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A U.S. Marine veteran has pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court to orchestrating a drug-trafficking operation that moved tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr., a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a drug-trafficking conspiracy and a money-laundering conspiracy.

In his plea agreement, Dominguez admitted to being the leader of an organization that used boats, airplanes and commercial vehicles to move the drugs into Mexico and then bring them over the California and Texas borders for distribution.

He also admitted to coordinating the flow of cash from drug-sales profits in the U.S. back to Mexico, the newspaper reported.

An indictment said Dominguez’s military training was an asset while working with powerful drug cartels.

Dominguez was arrested in Mexico in 2016 and extradited to San Diego in 2019.