Drug trafficking in Mexico is a structural problem that it has left thousands dead and dozens of families injured. In parallel, there are also life stories of characters who joined organized crime due to various factors, including marginalization, violation of human rights and lack of opportunities. Recently, the case of Macalla Lee Knott, a woman of American origin that only at 23 years of age He was already on the FBI’s radar.
His criminal career started in 2016, when she was arrested for selling methamphetamine to Minnesota State Troopers. The woman herself received a sentence of 4 years in prison and a fine of $1,800. Years later, now free, he decided to create a larger criminal cell on North American soil than He distributed drugs in areas like Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
According to information from Univision News, The blonde woman, with the aim of growing up in the criminal world, traveled to Mexico to join the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel. Macalla Lee he posed as a tourist in areas like Jalisco and Quintana Roo to coordinate shipments of cargo fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine reaching the western United States. Government of the United States states that benefited from at least $10 million for his illicit activities.
Between September 2021 and August 2022, United States police officers made narcotics seizures led by the cell commanded by Lee Knott. The areas where they worked are Paul, St. Cloud, Carlton, Melrose and Alexandria, in Minnesota; as well as in Rapid City, South Dakota; and Fargo, North Dakota.
The crimes that the woman came to recognize are money laundering conspiracy and participating in an ongoing criminal enterprise. His capture occurred on August 31, 2022 by Tonalá police officers. Previously, authorities were about to arrest her on two occasions in Mexico, one of them in the state of Quintana Roo and another in the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, but managed to escape.
The Secretary of State Security considered that the arrest was carried out from a gender perspective and respect for human rights and to individual guarantees. Policewomen from the Ateneas group were in charge of the transfer and protection of the detainee until was turned over to the United States authorities.
Similarly, he is accused of commanding a group of at least 18 people. In his plea agreement, Lee Knott revealed that he sent millions in profits to his partners in the Sinaloa Cartel through transfers or money orders. Two members of his gang have already been sentenced. Is about Mary Thompson, 29 years old and who was sentenced to more than eight years in prison; and Melanie Quick, 28, who is serving a nine-year sentence behind bars.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August. Lee Knott faces a maximum sentence of two life in prison and would be required to pay a fine of approximately $2.2 million.
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