SINALOA — The U.S. Justice Department indicted Sinaloa Governor Rúben Rocha Moya on drug trafficking charges on April 29, 2026, alleging he colluded with the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to enable cartel operations in the Mexican state. The indictment also names nine other current and former Mexican officials.

According to the indictment, the sons of Guzmán, known as the Chapitos, helped Rocha Moya get elected governor by kidnapping and intimidating rivals. In exchange, Rocha Moya allowed the Chapitos to operate with impunity in Sinaloa, the Justice Department alleges.

"The Sinaloa cartel is a ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. "As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa cartel, and other drug trafficking organizations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll," Clayton added.

The indictment states that Rocha Moya attended meetings with the Chapitos both before and after he became governor, and that he promised to protect them as they distributed massive quantities of drugs to the United States. As governor, the indictment states, he has allowed the Chapitos to operate with impunity in Sinaloa.

Rocha Moya was elected governor of Sinaloa in 2021 and has held the office since on or about November 1, 2021. U.S. authorities canceled his visa to travel to the U.S.

The charges come after a period of conflict in Sinaloa between factions led by the sons of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and factions led by the sons of Guzmán. One of Guzmán's sons abducted Zambada and flew him by private jet to an airport outside El Paso, Texas, where authorities arrested both men.