BREAKING: In a significant development, Mexican drug dealer Fidel Arenas-Torres, known as El Pelón, pleaded guilty this morning in federal court, bringing an end to a decades-long methamphetamine trafficking operation that flooded the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation with drugs. This urgent case highlights the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in the region.
Arenas-Torres, aged 45, admitted to his role in a conspiracy that allowed the distribution of hundreds of pounds of meth on the reservation. His plea comes after a lengthy investigation by the FBI and local authorities, which began after his arrest for illegal entry into the United States in November 2023. While in custody, investigators uncovered evidence linking him to a significant meth distribution network.
Earlier this year, law enforcement conducted surveillance on a couple in Belcourt, North Dakota, Timothy Houle and Trina Falcon, suspected of dealing meth. During a traffic stop, officers discovered 44 packages of meth hidden in livestock feed bags, weighing a staggering 50 pounds with an estimated street value of $250,000. This critical find led investigators straight to Arenas-Torres.
During questioning, Houle revealed that he had been receiving between 2-5 pounds of meth monthly from Arenas-Torres since the late ’90s. Houle claimed he took over the meth ring after Arenas-Torres’ arrest at the Skydancer Casino, but maintained that Arenas-Torres continued to direct operations from jail through his partner, Diana Quezada.
Federal authorities monitored numerous jail calls between Arenas-Torres and Quezada, which contained coded messages about ongoing drug transactions. Quezada reportedly invoked Arenas-Torres’ name to pressure Houle and Falcon into compliance, demonstrating the extensive reach of his influence even from behind bars.
Defense attorney Brian Toay challenged claims that Arenas-Torres was the primary supplier, arguing he merely facilitated deliveries and payments. He further contended that during some of the years cited by prosecutors, Arenas-Torres was imprisoned in Mexico.
Arenas-Torres shared a harrowing account of his past, detailing his kidnapping by corrupt officials linked to the H-2 cartel in Mexico, who sought to exploit him. He claimed he endured torture and that his family had to pay $100,000 for their safety. Following his acquittal in Mexico in 2019, he returned to the U.S. to escape further persecution.
At his sentencing hearing for the immigration case in August 2023, it was revealed that Arenas-Torres is a father of five, all residing in the U.S. His return to the U.S. was framed as an escape from the dangers posed by corrupt officials and drug cartels.
Now, with the guilty plea to drug conspiracy and money laundering, Arenas-Torres faces a minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 6, 2024.
This case marks a critical moment in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking, highlighting the complex networks that operate across international borders and the devastating impact on communities. Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
