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by JENN WOOD
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Federal prosecutors in South Carolina have unsealed an indictment against Jesus Guzman-Castro — a Mexican national known by the aliases “Chuy,” “El Narizon,” and “El Professor” — accusing him of laundering drug proceeds through U.S. bank accounts tied to South Carolina-based businesses.
The charges, filed in the District of South Carolina’s Beaufort Division, followed Guzman-Castro’s extradition from Mexico as part of a Department of Justice operation that returned 26 fugitives wanted for violent and serious crimes to the United States. According to federal court filings, Guzman-Castro was a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world.
The superseding indictment, filed August 13, 2025, names Guzman-Castro and five co-defendants — Marco Antonio Morales-Guzman, Juan Carlos Enciso, Marco Antonio Carrillo-Torres, Sandra Villa Macias, and Jalon Dejuan Robinson.
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Jesus Guzman-Castro, a Mexican national, has been indicted in the District of South Carolina for his role in a money laundering conspiracy. Evidence previously introduced in this case established that Guzman-Castro is alleged to have conspired with others to collect drug proceeds… https://t.co/kwPTjn7N6H
— U.S. Attorney SC (@USAO_SC) August 15, 2025
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Prosecutors alleged the group structured cash deposits — breaking down large sums into amounts under $10,000 to avoid federal currency transaction reporting requirements. Between July and October 2020, they allegedly made dozens of deposits, often just below the reporting threshold, as part of a scheme involving more than $100,000 in a 12-month period.
The indictment further accused the defendants of conspiring to launder narcotics proceeds, conducting financial transactions intended to promote drug trafficking and to conceal the source, ownership, and control of illicit funds. Prosecutors say those transactions moved cartel money through multiple U.S. bank accounts — including accounts held by businesses in South Carolina — before sending the proceeds back to Mexico.
Court records indicate Guzman-Castro is also facing charges in Eastern District of New York.
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RELATED | FEDS BUST $30 MILLION MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME TIED TO GLOBAL DRUG TRADE
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The charges come just four months after FITSNews reported on another massive laundering operation in the Palmetto State — a $30 million network that pushed cartel drug profits through fake storefronts in Sumter County, disguised as international electronics exports.
That case involved a globe-spanning network that laundered cocaine and fentanyl profits through Sumter, Richland, Charleston, and York counties, shipping goods to China, Hong Kong, and the UAE to disguise the flow of cash. Investigators linked the operation to both the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) — two rival Mexican organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
While the April case relied on trade-based laundering disguised as electronics exports, this one centers on structured banking transactions. The methods differ, but the players are familiar — Mexican cartels using South Carolina’s financial and business infrastructure as a laundering hub for international narcotics profits.
These back-to-back indictments indicate federal authorities have shifted focus toward Palmetto State connections in transnational organized crime, whether through storefronts in Sumter or business accounts in Beaufort.
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The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the largest criminal enterprises in the world, notorious for multi-ton cocaine shipments, fentanyl trafficking, and bloody turf wars. This case suggests its reach extends deep into South Carolina’s legitimate financial channels.
For federal prosecutors here, Guzman-Castro’s extradition represents a rare opportunity to prosecute a high-ranking cartel member on local turf. For the public, it’s a stark reminder that the global drug trade’s financial backbone may run closer to home than most realize.
If convicted, Guzman-Castro faces up to life in federal prison. The case will proceed in U.S. District Court in Beaufort.
FITSNews will continue following this case, including identifying the South Carolina businesses allegedly used in the laundering scheme, and tracking whether more cartel-linked prosecutions emerge in the Palmetto State.
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THE INDICTMENT…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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