Ex-Mexican cartel leader gets 30 years prison in US

A former leader of Mexico's notorious Gulf drug cartel has been sentenced to 30 years in a U.S. prison and fined $100 million. Juan Francisco Saenz-Tamez was sentenced Tuesday by a judge in Beaumont, Texas, on drug and money laundering convictions. Saenz-Tamez is a 23-year-old resident of the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas (tahm-uh-LEE'-puhs). He was arrested in October during a shopping trip to Texas. Saenz-Tamez pleaded guilty in January to distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Prosecutors say Saenz-Tamez was responsible for shipping at least half a ton of cocaine and 90 tons of marijuana into the U.S. Investigators believe the drug cartel laundered $100 million.  AP