# Colima cartel leadership sentencing

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colima-cartel-leadership-sentencing
> Updated: 2026-10-07T19:51:57.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

José Bernabé Brizuela Meraz, leader of the Cártel Independiente de Colima (also known as ‘Los Mezcales’), and Christian Jonathan Cuevas Sánchez have been sentenced to 12 years in prison. 

The sentencing follows an investigation by the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) into the stockpiling of firearms and ammunition reserved for the armed forces. The case stems from a 2014 search in Villa de Álvarez, Colima, which uncovered seven rifles and 3,439 cartridges. Brizuela Meraz was identified as the property's renter, while Cuevas Sánchez had full access to the site. The sentence includes a fine, a formal reprimand, and the suspension of political and civil rights.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-07: Santiago Uribe Vélez sentenced to 28 years in Colombian prison

Colombia's Supreme Court has upheld a 28-year prison sentence for Santiago Uribe Vélez for crimes against humanity and conspiracy linked to the ‘Los 12 Apóstoles’ paramilitary group.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/santiago-uribe-vlez-sentenced-to-28-years-in-colombian-prison

### 2026-09-26: Colima cartel leader sentenced to 12 years for weapons stockpiling

The founder of the Cártel Independiente de Colima, José Bernabé Brizuela Meraz, and Christian Jonathan Cuevas Sánchez were sentenced to 12 years in prison for illegal weapons stockpiling.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colima-cartel-leader-sentenced-to-12-years-for-weapons-stockpiling

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Cite as: Colima cartel leadership sentencing. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colima-cartel-leadership-sentencing