García Luna Sentenced to 38 Years, 4 Months — Calderón's Security Chief Imprisoned for Cartel Collusion

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan sentenced Genaro García Luna to 38 years and 4 months in federal prison for drug trafficking conspiracy and related counts — the longest sentence ever imposed on a Mexican government official in a U.S. court. García Luna maintained his innocence throughout. The sentencing capped a legal saga that began with his December 2019 arrest and upended historical assessments of the Calderón administration: the man coordinating Mexico's drug war had allegedly been bribed to guarantee Sinaloa's supremacy. President Calderón reiterated he had no knowledge of García Luna's cartel ties, calling the conviction the result of 'mendacious witnesses' seeking sentence reductions.