Servando Gómez Martínez
Encyclopedia
Servando Gómez Martínez, a.k.a. La Tuta and El Profe (born on February 6, 1966) is a Mexican
drug trafficker who worked for La Familia Michoacana drug cartel
, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán
. However, Martinez and Dionicio Loya Plancarte
later broke with La Familia and formed the Knights Templar Cartel
. La Familia cartel is sometimes described as quasi-religious since its former leader, Nazario Moreno González
, referred to their assassinations and beheadings as "divine justice."
with conspiring to import and distribute cocaine
and methamphetamine
into the United States from Mexico. According to the Gomez Martinez indictment, he is, among other things, responsible for ensuring that La Familia's drug trafficking activities are not impeded by law enforcement, and also for acquiring weapons for use by the cartel.
The Indictment alleges that, on July 17, 2009, a few days after the bodies of twelve murdered Mexican federal law enforcement officers were discovered following the arrest of a cartel lider, Alberto Espinoza Barron
, Gómez Martínez made a recorded statement to a local television station in Michoacan, in which he publicly acknowledged that he was a member of La Familia, and, among other things, stated that La Familia was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors, Gómez Martínez further stated that La Familia kidnaps
people who owe La Familia money, as well as those whose family members work in state and federal governments in Mexico. He also offered the Mexican federal security forces a truce in exchange of freedom to continue their illegal drug trade
. President Felipe Calderón
's government refuses to strike a deal with the cartel and ignored their calls for dialogue.
Servando Gómez Martínez's partners have been Nazario Moreno González
, José de Jesús Méndez Vargas
, Enrique Plancarte Solís
and Dionicio Loya Plancarte
, who each have had a bounty of $2 million dollars each for their capture. After La Familia leader Nazario Moreno González was shot dead by security forces, Méndez-Vargas took control of La Familia. Soon afterwards, Martinez and Plancarte broke with Méndez-Vargas and formed the Knights Templar Cartel. This new splinter group soon developed a rivalry with La Familia. On June 21, 2011, Méndez-Vargas was captured by Mexican security forces. On August 7, 2011, the Mexican Attorney General reported that the La Familia Cartel was now "exterminated."
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....
drug trafficker who worked for La Familia Michoacana drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
. However, Martinez and Dionicio Loya Plancarte
Dionicio Loya Plancarte
Dionicio Loya Plancarte is one of the former leaders of the Mexican drug cartel known as La Familia Michoacana, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Loya was arrested by the Mexican Army in Morelia, Michoacán along with other 60 cartel members on April 18, 2009 during a religious...
later broke with La Familia and formed the Knights Templar Cartel
Knights Templar Cartel
The Knights Templar cartel is a Mexican criminal organization and an offshoot of the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel based in the Mexican state of Michoacán....
. La Familia cartel is sometimes described as quasi-religious since its former leader, Nazario Moreno González
Nazario Moreno González
Nazario Moreno González was a Mexican drug lord of the La Familia drug cartel, headquartered in the state of Michoacán.-Biography:...
, referred to their assassinations and beheadings as "divine justice."
Biography
Gómez Martínez serves as the operational chief for La Familia cartel and has made public statements on behalf of the cartel. Gómez Martínez has been indicted in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with conspiring to import and distribute cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
into the United States from Mexico. According to the Gomez Martinez indictment, he is, among other things, responsible for ensuring that La Familia's drug trafficking activities are not impeded by law enforcement, and also for acquiring weapons for use by the cartel.
The Indictment alleges that, on July 17, 2009, a few days after the bodies of twelve murdered Mexican federal law enforcement officers were discovered following the arrest of a cartel lider, Alberto Espinoza Barron
Alberto Espinoza Barron
Alberto Espinoza Barrón is a Mexican drug trafficker and the main lieutenant of the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel...
, Gómez Martínez made a recorded statement to a local television station in Michoacan, in which he publicly acknowledged that he was a member of La Familia, and, among other things, stated that La Familia was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors, Gómez Martínez further stated that La Familia kidnaps
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
people who owe La Familia money, as well as those whose family members work in state and federal governments in Mexico. He also offered the Mexican federal security forces a truce in exchange of freedom to continue their illegal drug trade
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
. President Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
's government refuses to strike a deal with the cartel and ignored their calls for dialogue.
Servando Gómez Martínez's partners have been Nazario Moreno González
Nazario Moreno González
Nazario Moreno González was a Mexican drug lord of the La Familia drug cartel, headquartered in the state of Michoacán.-Biography:...
, José de Jesús Méndez Vargas
José de Jesús Méndez Vargas
José de Jesús Méndez Vargas is a Mexican drug lord and leader of the La Familia drug cartel, headquartered in the state of Michoacán....
, Enrique Plancarte Solís
Enrique Plancarte Solís
Enrique Plancarte Solís is the second-in-command or lieutenant at the service of the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel, an organized crime gang based in the Mexican state of Michoacán....
and Dionicio Loya Plancarte
Dionicio Loya Plancarte
Dionicio Loya Plancarte is one of the former leaders of the Mexican drug cartel known as La Familia Michoacana, headquartered in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Loya was arrested by the Mexican Army in Morelia, Michoacán along with other 60 cartel members on April 18, 2009 during a religious...
, who each have had a bounty of $2 million dollars each for their capture. After La Familia leader Nazario Moreno González was shot dead by security forces, Méndez-Vargas took control of La Familia. Soon afterwards, Martinez and Plancarte broke with Méndez-Vargas and formed the Knights Templar Cartel. This new splinter group soon developed a rivalry with La Familia. On June 21, 2011, Méndez-Vargas was captured by Mexican security forces. On August 7, 2011, the Mexican Attorney General reported that the La Familia Cartel was now "exterminated."