WASHINGTON (AP) — A man whose brother led one of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels was sentenced Friday to more than 22 years in U.S. prison for his part in a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy that brought cocaine and methamphetamine to American streets.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of the late Jalisco New Generation co-founder known as El Mencho, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in July after the Mexican government handed him over to U.S. authorities last year alongside other high-ranking cartel leaders.
His case is part of a broader Trump administration effort to crack down on powerful cartels such as Jalisco New Generation, also known as CJNG, that have helped fuel America's drug epidemic.
“Oseguera Cervantes’ sentence sends a clear message to criminals around the world that the Department of Justice is committed to the total elimination of drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations, including the CJNG," Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva, who leads the department's Criminal Division, said in an emailed statement.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, 68, of Michoacán, Mexico, worked for cartels with his brother Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the drug lord known as El Mencho, who was killed by the Mexican army in February, according to federal prosecutors.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes was a leader of the Milenio Cartel and later reported directly to his brother after El Mencho became the CJNG’s top leader, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors in Washington's federal court had recommended a 30-year prison sentence, noting that his duties included receiving CJNG drug proceeds, managing the cartel's money laundering activities and supervising meth laboratories.
“Rival cartels rarely settle disputes through diplomacy alone," prosecutors wrote in court papers. “And while there may be no nonviolent drug cartels in Mexico, (Oseguera Cervantes) was a member of particularly brutal cartels."
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes' attorneys requested a 20-year prison sentence, saying in court documents that he accepts full responsibility for his crimes and “blames no one except himself.” They noted that he already has spent several years behind bars in Mexico for essentially the same conduct to which he pleaded guilty in the U.S.
He expressed remorse in a letter addressed to the court, saying he is “deeply sorry for my actions and for the harm they caused.”
“One of my greatest fears is that I will die far away from my family," he wrote. "I love my children and my family very much, and I hope that I may one day have the opportunity to spend the remaining years of my life with them.”
Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer contributed from Washington.
FILE - Two handcuffed members of a drug cartel named El Milenio are seen during a presentation to the press in Guadalajara, Mexico, May 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carlos Jasso, File)
FILE - AK-47 ammunition sits on a table in front of 18 alleged members of the drug cartel El Milenio during a presentation to the press in Guadalajara, Mexico, May 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Carlos Jasso, File)
MUNICH (AP) — A teenaged Amon-Ra St. Brown ran a wheel route and was completely covered.
Jan Weinreich threw it anyway.
St. Brown, 15 years old and playing for the German Under-19 team against France in the European championship semifinal, jumped and made the catch.
“The cornerback landed on his (behind). Amon on the sideline was able to walk into the end zone,” Weinreich, the German quarterback, recalled in an interview with The Associated Press. "You could see that he was just a special player.”
St. Brown returned to Germany this week not only as a star wide receiver for the Detroit Lions but also as a high-profile ambassador for the NFL in a major international market. The Lions face the New England Patriots on Sunday in Munich.
St. Brown, whose mother is German, grew up in California but he and his two older brothers spent many summers visiting their maternal grandparents in Leverkusen.
“I can’t wait for the game. It’s really honestly a dream come true,” St. Brown said Friday during a packed news conference at Bayern Munich's campus. “I haven’t even played the game yet and it feels amazing — the love, the support, the energy.”
St. Brown, a fluent German speaker, fielded questions in both German and English. He was asked in German if he would use a traditional Bavarian folk dance called “schuhplattler” for a touchdown celebration. He said he hasn't made any decisions yet.
He had earlier said he wants to share some schnitzel, sauerkraut, currywurst and “pommes mit mayonnaise” with his teammates.
On Friday, St. Brown noted that he's been peppered with questions from teammates.
“I’m just like a personal Google Translate to them at this point,” he said jokingly. "I’m kind of teaching them about the culture.”
Sunday’s game will be the sixth regular-season matchup in Germany, a key market for the NFL in its aggressive international push.
“For us, it’s a match made in heaven having him play here in Germany this week,” Alexander Steinforth, general manager of NFL Germany, told the AP.
German players have excelled in the NFL before, particularly for the Patriots. Offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer was a two-time Super Bowl champion protecting Tom Brady. Stuttgart native Jakob Johnson earned praise from Bill Belichick during his time in Foxborough.
The 27-year-old St. Brown offers a different profile — an American who is also German and who makes highlight-reel plays. Drafted by the Lions in the fourth round in 2021, St. Brown has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for four consecutive seasons.
“He is the ambassador that is driving NFL football over here,” Steinforth said. “He’s very involved in how the game is currently positioned from a marketing perspective. So, it’s fantastic to have him in market.”
A recent clip of St. Brown doing an RTL interview in German has more than 3 million views on Instagram.
St. Brown said he embraces his role as an ambassador for the sport. He holds summer camps in Germany.
“Kids are excited to go, they understand the rules, they know the teams, they know the players. The sport has grown so much,” he said.
“I feel like it’s my duty, especially here in Germany, to help grow the game.”
St. Brown's jersey is the top seller in Germany this season, the NFL said. Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is second, followed by Josh Allen, Drake Maye and Jordan Love.
“His playing style — he’s agile, and not so clunky,” local fan Alex Miklos said at the Lions' temporary merchandise shop in the Old Town section of Munich.
Adult-sized game jerseys — of St. Brown, Jared Goff and Aidan Hutchinson — were priced at 125 euros ($138).
Miklos, who took an interest in American football just a few years ago, added: “I like the headstand.” St. Brown did a no-hands headstand after scoring a touchdown against the Packers in 2024.
St. Brown and one of his brothers, Osiris, had joined up with the U19 German national team for the 2015 tournament in Dresden. Equanimeous St. Brown, the oldest of the three brothers, didn't participate because he had already signed to play for Notre Dame, Weinreich explained.
“They brought intensity. They held themselves to a different standard,” said Weinreich, who now helps cover the NFL for German broadcaster RTL. “They gave us an edge with their competitiveness.”
Germany beat France in the last four but lost to Austria in the final.
“I think it still bums Amon to this day,” Weinreich said.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
FILE - The German and United States flags are presented during the singing of the national anthems before an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Nov. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) warms up before an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) is brought down by Miami Dolphins safety Michael Taaffe (16) after a reception during the second half of an NFL football game in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) raises his fist after an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
