U.S. forfeiture case targets California ranch linked to Valencia González

Reporting and context

El Financiero reports that a ranch in Hemet, California, associated with Juan Carlos Valencia González, known as “El Pelón,” had been rented to a horse breeder for $1,500 a month for about three years. Valencia González is described in the report as the stepson of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” The account is based in part on testimony from the tenant and on reporting by the New York Post and El País, rather than on an independent inspection by this newsroom.

The property has drawn U.S. authorities’ attention. El Financiero says the U.S. Department of Justice began a civil forfeiture proceeding in late July in federal court in the District of Columbia, alleging that the property is connected to Valencia González. The report also says that U.S. authorities have identified him as a new leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and that the Treasury Department imposed sanctions that include asset-freezing and transaction restrictions. Those descriptions are allegations or official designations reported by the cited outlets and agencies; they are not presented here as a criminal conviction.

According to the report, the ranch was bought in 2011 for $250,000 and is now estimated at nearly $700,000. The tenant said he was told by José María González Valencia, identified as a relative who manages the property, to leave, and that he had moved some horses while worrying that the U.S. government could take possession before his belongings were removed. The article says the property covers about 19,468 square meters and still contains animals, household structures and an old vehicle. Claims about the alleged criminal organization, the forfeiture case, sanctions, the reported reward and the succession of “El Mencho” remain attributed to El Financiero and the authorities or publications it cites.