Five Mexican nationals have been charged in federal court after law enforcement officials seized over 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine in DeKalb County, Georgia. The individuals—Wilber Castellanos Villazana, Yamilet Calixto Sotelo, Jorge Lorenzo Manzanarez, Esteban Jacobo-Suarez, and Damien Gomez-Guijarro—are accused of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Four of the defendants are alleged to be in the United States illegally.
Authorities report that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified one of the main suspects as allegedly working on behalf of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a criminal organization known for drug trafficking.
“Within just a few days, undercover investigations in the metro Atlanta area led to the seizure of more than half a ton of methamphetamine, the arrests of four illegal aliens allegedly responsible for distributing those deadly drugs, and the disruption of two drug trafficking rings,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will continue to proudly partner with federal, state, and local crimefighters to protect the public and eliminate the scourge of drug trafficking.”
“The CJNG cartel is a significant threat to public safety, public health, and the national security of the United States,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will target every level of their supply chain to disrupt and destroy their networks.”
According to court records and information presented by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg:
On September 15, 2025, Wilber Castellanos Villazana allegedly sold one kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover DEA agent at an apartment complex in DeKalb County. Later that day, he was observed selling additional narcotics from a vehicle.
The following day, agents saw Castellanos Villazana along with Jorge Lorenzo Manzanarez and Yamilet Calixto Sotelo leave an apartment at the same complex with large black trash bags that were loaded into a car. A search revealed approximately 22 kilograms of methamphetamine in the car trunk and about 309 kilograms inside the apartment.
On September 17, Esteban Jacobo-Suarez and Damien Gomez-Guijarro allegedly sold another kilogram of methamphetamine at a gas station near Stone Mountain before being tracked by law enforcement to a nearby residence.
The next day agents scheduled another undercover purchase; after observing suspicious activity involving Jacobo-Suarez and Gomez-Guijarro moving a black trash bag into a vehicle, police stopped them at a designated meeting spot. Searches uncovered 10 kilograms in their car and roughly 131 kilograms inside their residence along with one firearm and $12,000 cash.
All five defendants—who are citizens of Mexico—were charged on September 19 with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine through federal criminal complaints. Four are described as illegal aliens; Jacobo-Suarez has reportedly been deported twice previously from the United States.
Officials remind that these charges are allegations only; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt during trial.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including DEA’s Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program (HIDTA), Homeland Security Investigations, DeKalb County Police Department, and Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Herskowitz is leading prosecution efforts for these cases.
This action is part of Operation Take Back America—a national effort by the Department of Justice focused on addressing illegal immigration issues as well as dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while aiming to safeguard communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation coordinates resources from various DOJ programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages parents and children seeking information about drug risks to visit www.justthinktwice.gov.
