Edgardo Leyva Escandon
Encyclopedia
Edgardo Leyva Escandón is a Mexican
national and career criminal. He has been a high-ranking member of the Tijuana Cartel
(Arellano-Félix Organization) since approximately 1994. He has reportedly served the Tijuana Cartel as a personal assistant to its leaders, as a trained sniper
to carry out assassination
s against cartel rivals, and as one of the primary suppliers of weapons and ammunition
utilized by the cartel.
Xicotencatl Leyva Mortera, Edgardo Leyva's uncle, was a former Tijuana
mayor and served as Baja California governor from the mid-to the late-1980s. He was forced to leave his governor's post amid allegations that his administration was involved in shady land deals, cartel protection and misappropriation of funds.
from justice. In October, 2009 all of his accounts were frozen under the Kingpin Act. The Act further prohibits anyone from conducting financial or commercial transactions with Edgardo Leyva Escandon.
Leyva-Escandon has been indicted
in the Southern District of California, United States
, for unlawfully possessing large quantities of ammunition. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to USD$2 million for information leading to the arrest
and/or conviction
of Edgardo Leyva Escandón.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
national and career criminal. He has been a high-ranking member of the Tijuana Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
(Arellano-Félix Organization) since approximately 1994. He has reportedly served the Tijuana Cartel as a personal assistant to its leaders, as a trained sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
to carry out assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
s against cartel rivals, and as one of the primary suppliers of weapons and ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
utilized by the cartel.
Xicotencatl Leyva Mortera, Edgardo Leyva's uncle, was a former Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
mayor and served as Baja California governor from the mid-to the late-1980s. He was forced to leave his governor's post amid allegations that his administration was involved in shady land deals, cartel protection and misappropriation of funds.
Bounty
Since the August 16, 2006 capture of Javier Arellano Félix, Leyva Escandón has kept a low profile and is still a fugitiveFugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
from justice. In October, 2009 all of his accounts were frozen under the Kingpin Act. The Act further prohibits anyone from conducting financial or commercial transactions with Edgardo Leyva Escandon.
Leyva-Escandon has been indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in the Southern District of California, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, for unlawfully possessing large quantities of ammunition. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to USD$2 million for information leading to the arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
and/or conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
of Edgardo Leyva Escandón.