Arnoldo Oswaldo Vargas-Samayoa, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for orchestrating a vast international drug trafficking operation that smuggled more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine into the United States.
The sentencing took place in the Southern District of California, where U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo called Vargas-Samayoa “a manager of a very extensive international drug ring” who chose a criminal lifestyle over rehabilitation.
Vargas-Samayoa surrendered to U.S. authorities in June 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport after being indicted in January 2020. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine, admitting that he coordinated with two Guatemalan suppliers and a Mexico-based trafficker to smuggle drugs through ports of entry in Southern California and Southern Texas.
Intercepted communications showed Vargas actively confirming drug movements during transit into the U.S., with some cocaine rerouted to the Chicago area for distribution. For each kilogram of cocaine, Vargas received a $1,000 commission.
“This sentencing sends the message that those who traffic dangerous drugs into our country will be held accountable,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, praising joint efforts that led to the seizure of over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than $2 million in cash, and multiple firearms.
According to U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, the case is part of Operation Take Back America, a national DOJ initiative targeting cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime. The prosecution was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
Vargas-Samayoa is the son of Arnoldo Vargas Estrada, a former Guatemalan mayor convicted in the early 1990s of narcotics trafficking and one of the first Guatemalans extradited to the U.S. His father returned to Guatemala after release and served again as mayor of Zacapa until 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also successfully prosecuted multiple couriers and money launderers tied to the same trafficking network.
This conviction underscores ongoing efforts to dismantle high-level drug trafficking operations threatening public safety across international and domestic lines.
