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Lawyer Sentenced to Six Years for Acting as Prison Messenger for Drug Bosses

The plea deal underscores prosecutors’ claim that gangs use attorney visits to pierce high‑security prison controls.

Overview

  • Federal judge Carlos Vera Barros approved a plea deal that gives Iván Carlos Méndez six years in prison and an eight‑year ban from practicing law, and he is held at the Marcos Paz federal prison.
  • Prosecutors said Méndez served as a systematic link by using his lawyer status to visit high‑risk inmates and carry orders to allies outside under a regime that sharply limits calls and visits.
  • The case ties his work to jailed figures such as Julio Rodríguez Granthon, Mario Roberto Segovia, Uriel “Lucho” Cantero, Cristian “Pupito” Avalle, and César Morán de la Cruz.
  • Wiretaps, prison visit logs, and seized records supported the charges, and a home raid found cocaine, AR‑15 rifle parts with the serial number filed off, and 120 rounds.
  • Investigators opened the case in 2025 after prison staff seized a note that listed his phone number, according to the case file.