Jesús “Chuy” González Peñuelas, an alleged leader of the Guasave Cartel, is believed to have been killed during a clash with Mexican Navy personnel in Sinaloa on Monday, federal authorities said.

The death of González — a 56-year-old alleged drug trafficker who was wanted in the United States — was first reported by media outlets in Sinaloa.

In a social media post on Wednesday, the Navy Ministry (SEMAR) said that its personnel, in coordination with federal Security Ministry agents, “repelled an armed attack” near the community of Alfredo V. Bonfil, located in the municipality of Sinaloa in the state of the same name.

Personal naval de la @SEMAR_mx en coordinación con @SSPCMexico, repelió una agresión armada en inmediaciones de Alfredo V. Bonfil, #Sinaloa.

Esta acción derivó de trabajos de inteligencia naval y como resultado se aseguraron 4 vehículos con reporte de robo, 3 armas largas, cargadores y municiones. Durante el enfrentamiento fallecieron 2 personas, cuya identidad podría corresponder a Jesús “N” (a) Chuy Peñuelas operador de 2do orden, solo por debajo de Fausto Isidro Meza Flores (a) Chapo Isidro, líder del Cartel de Guasave y Cesáreo “N”, quedando pendiente la confirmación pericial.

Los indicios quedaron a disposición de la @FGRMexico para las investigaciones correspondientes.

#Marina refrenda su compromiso de contribuir a la seguridad de la población, mediante la coordinación interinstitucional, con apego al marco legal y respeto a los derechos humanos.

— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) October 28, 2026

SEMAR said that two people died during the confrontation, adding that their “identities may correspond to” González and a man identified as Cesáreo “N”.

In a separate social media post, federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said that, “according to the available information,” González was one of the two people killed in the clash with military personnel on Monday.

SEMAR said that “expert confirmation” that González and Cesáreo “N” were the two people killed was “pending.”

Cesáreo “N” was identified in media reports as Cesáreo Peñuelas Ruiz, aka “El Profe” (The Teacher). He was reportedly González’s uncle.

The Navy Ministry said that its operation in the municipality of Sinaloa on Monday “stemmed from naval intelligence work.”

During the operation, four vehicles reported as stolen, three long guns, magazines and ammunition were seized, SEMAR said.

Who was Jesús ‘Chuy’ González Peñuelas?

According to SEMAR, González was the Guasave Cartel’s second-in-command, below only Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, aka “Chapo Isidro.”

The Guasave Cartel is also known as the Meza Flores Organization and Los Mazaltecos. It is based in the municipality of Guasave in northern Sinaloa.

While SEMAR and García Harfuch said on Wednesday that Gonzalez was a member of the Guasave Cartel, U.S. authorities have accused him of running his own drug trafficking organization.

In January 2024, the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to US $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of González, saying at the time that he “reportedly leads an independent methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine distribution and production organization.”

The State Department noted that González had been indicted on international narcotics charges in the District of Colorado and the Southern District of California.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury said in May 2021 that González and his drug trafficking organization were “among the largest sources of raw opium gum and heroin in northern Mexico, and increasingly are a major distributor of fentanyl to U.S. markets.”

At that time, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated González and his drug trafficking organization as “significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.”

The Department of the Treasury said that González oversaw “multiple heroin processing laboratories in Sinaloa” and that “the upper echelons” of his drug trafficking organization (DTO) hierarchy consisted of his family members.

“The González Peñuelas DTO cooperates with other DTOs within Mexico, including acting as an enforcement arm for the various Mexican DTO’s trafficking routes, and is aligned with Mexican drug kingpins Fausto Isidro Meza Flores and Rafael Caro Quintero, both of whom are subject to Treasury sanctions,” the department said on May 12, 2021.

With reports from Río Doce, EFE and El Financiero