Federal Judge to Decide Saturday If Ex-Chihuahua Prosecutor Faces 40-Year Treason Sentence

A federal judge will rule Saturday on whether to allow a treason indictment against César Jáuregui, the former attorney general of Chihuahua. The charge carries a potential sentence of five to 40 years. Prosecutors argue Jáuregui endangered national security by approving a field operation with U.S. agents without notifying the federal government, a power reserved for the central state.

The case stems from an April 19 raid on a drug lab in the municipality of Morelos. Chihuahua officials announced the dismantling of the facility, which Jáuregui described as one of the largest chemical drug production sites in the country. During the return trip, a vehicle in the convoy left the road and fell into a ravine. Four people died: Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, first commander of the state investigation agency; officer Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes; and two Americans. The suspects fled, leaving no arrests.

Jáuregui initially described the U.S. participants as instructor officers working under binational anti-drug cooperation. He resigned from his post to allow for a clear inquiry. On October 17, he was arrested on state charges of illegal exercise of public office. A judge ruled Thursday that those state charges can proceed to trial. Federal officials subsequently added the treason charge. Defense attorney Héctor Villasana stated that prosecutors sought an exemplary punishment at a closed hearing, citing the need to prevent scenarios similar to the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Legal experts question the validity of the treason charge. Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime, noted that treason is typically a wartime crime. He argued that while Jáuregui may have failed obligations by not informing federal authorities or allowing foreign agents to carry weapons, the facts do not meet the legal threshold for treason. Carlos Pérez Ricart of CIDE University said the case has significant political impact ahead of the 2027 midterm elections. He warned that the proceedings send a strong signal to Washington.

Accounts of the Americans' roles have varied. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson identified them as embassy personnel. Multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News they were CIA agents. The CIA declined to comment. Mexico's security ministry stated that one individual entered as a visitor and the other with a diplomatic passport. Neither held formal accreditation for operational activities. Two other U.S. agents in a separate vehicle were expelled. President Claudia Sheinbaum said none of the agents had permission to operate in Mexico.

The U.S. State Department said it is aware of the case but did not link it directly to the deaths of the two agents. President Sheinbaum has emphasized national sovereignty, amending the Constitution to bar field operations without express Mexican authorization. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had previously limited U.S. agency activities in the country. Pérez Ricart noted that such operations have often occurred without federal knowledge, leading to potential abuses in the absence of clear rules.