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Federal Jury Convicts Two Men in Sinaloa Cartel-Directed Robbery Plot

Two Orlando men were convicted in South Florida for participating in an armed drug robbery plot directed by an alleged Sinaloa Cartel member.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 9:32 a.m. ET
On August 12, 2026, a federal jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Kevin Albornos-Martinez, 29, and Johan Landazury-Albornos, 24, following a 12-day trial, according to official court records released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Both men were of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. According to court records, Santiago Carillo-Piz, an alleged member of the Sinaloa Cartel who remains a fugitive in Mexico, directed Albornos-Martinez and Landazury-Albornos to assemble an armed crew to steal 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, and drug proceeds from a purported drug trafficker in South Florida. The crew recruited individuals nationwide, including members of Tren de Aragua. The intended target was actually an undercover law enforcement officer, and authorities arrested the defendants as they tested firearms and made final preparations. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated that the defendants walked into a law enforcement operation. Albornos-Martinez and Landazury-Albornos are the eighth and ninth defendants in the investigation, and each faces up to 40 years in federal prison. Carillo-Piz is the only remaining defendant and remains a fugitive, and the case remains an open and developing investigation.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 13:32current

    First published.

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