Two Guatemalan men in Lorenzana drug trafficking organization extradited to US, face federal charges

Two Guatemalan men in the Lorenzana drug trafficking organization have been extradited to the U.S. and are facing federal charges, according to the Justice Department.

Steven Ovaldino Lorenzana Alvarenga, 30, also known as “Chipi,” and Allan Mendoza, 40, also known as “Carnes” and “Carnitas,” made their initial appearances on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after each were charged by the DOJ with one count of conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine into the U.S. from Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Lorenzana Alvarenga and Mendoza were key members of the Lorenzana drug trafficking organization from 2006 through 2023, which transports multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America into Mexico and the U.S. on behalf of various Mexican, Honduran, and Venezuelan cartels, according to court documents.

The organization allegedly uses violence, including murder, assault, kidnapping, assassination, and torture, in its drug trafficking activities.

Lorenzana Alvarenga and Mendoza face a maximum penalty of life in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 30 years in prison on the firearm charge, if convicted.