Tony Montana Seeks 20-Year Sentence as Clemency Letter Hits U.S. Court
The 68-year-old brother of CJNG leader El Mencho asked Judge Beryl A. Howell for mercy before his November 13 sentencing hearing in Washington, D.C.
By Tunde Bailey ·
Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., have set a hard cap on the prison time they will request for Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, known in U.S. courts as Tony Montana. The 68-year-old brother of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, filed a letter with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on November 4, 2026, asking for leniency before his official sentencing.
Oseguera Cervantes pleaded guilty on July 31 to conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine in the United States. Court records indicate his role also involved supplying chemical precursors and laundering money for the cartel. Although the judicial guidelines allow for life in prison, the plea agreement limits the government's request to a maximum of 30 years.
His legal team has proposed a 240-month sentence, which equals 20 years of incarceration. This matches the recommendation from the U.S. Pretrial Services Office, which suggested 15 years for one count and five consecutive years for another. The judge has not yet issued a final verdict, but the sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 13, 2026.
In his letter to Judge Beryl A. Howell, Oseguera Cervantes acknowledged the severity of his actions and apologized for the consequences of his criminal activities. He stated, "I deeply regret my actions and the damage they caused. I know I made serious mistakes and I accept responsibility for them." He specifically asked the court to consider his age, his health conditions, and his desire to reunite with his family.
The defendant expressed concern about dying away from his loved ones due to his medical issues and the likelihood of spending his remaining years in prison. He wrote, "Respectfully, I ask the Court for compassion and mercy," requesting a penalty that allows him to return to his family while he still has the chance to share time with them.
Oseguera Cervantes was born in 1958 in a community near Aguililla, Michoacán. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and worked in San Francisco restaurants for about two decades. In 2001, he was deported to Mexico after serving a 63-month federal sentence for heroin distribution conspiracy.
He returned to drug trafficking activities linked to the cartel and was arrested in Jalisco in 2015. He regained his freedom in 2016 but was caught again in December 2022. In February 2025, he was transferred to the United States along with other organized crime members. Now facing his final hearing, he awaits the judge's decision on his penalty.
