“El Chavo Félix,” Son-in-Law of “El Mayo,” Appears in San Diego Court

Juan Carlos Félix Gastélum, alias “El Chavo Félix,” 42, son-in-law of Sinaloa drug lord Ismael Mario Zambada García, alias “El Mayo,” appeared before Judge Valerie E. Torres on August 13, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, located in San Diego.

“Félix Gastélum’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 12, for a motion/trial hearing before Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant of the United States District Court,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California said in a statement.

“Juan Carlos Félix Gastélum, also known as ‘El Chavo Félix,’ is the alleged leader of a Sinaloa Cartel cell and the son-in-law of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. He is also accused of being the primary operator of the Sinaloa Cartel’s clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories located in the Sierra Madre mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico, involved in the manufacturing and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to the United States,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stated.

“Those who export dangerous drugs and traffic foreigners into the United States while trying to evade capture will find nowhere to hide. Today is a victory, but justice is not satisfied. The work of the Homeland Security Task Forces ensures that the prosecution of high-ranking individuals remains a top priority nationwide, but especially in the Southern District of California,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, quoted in the statement. “Drug traffickers prey on our communities, sowing violence and fear. Justice is not optional, and it has a broad scope. We will continue to pursue, arrest, and bring to justice those who profit from drug trafficking. These arrests are a step toward a safer future,” said Jake Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Sutton, Joshua Mellor, Robert J. Miller, and Francisco Nagel, and the Conteh case is also being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Sausedo contributed significantly to the cases,” detailed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.