Three Guatemalan nationals have been extradited to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced.
Adelfo Federico Valdez Santos, also known as “Lico Valdez,” 43; Pedro Pablo Oliva Catalan, also known as “Peke” and “Peques,” 36; and Kelvin David Beron Ramirez, also known as “Catracho” and “Crunchi,” 37, were extradited from Guatemala on Jan. 30, 2026. Each man was named in separate federal indictments charging drug trafficking violations.
According to the indictments, the defendants conspired with and assisted other international drug traffickers in the manufacture, distribution, and transportation of large quantities of cocaine into the United States for further distribution.
Federal officials said the cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a multi-agency effort focused on dismantling criminal cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and drug trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad.
If convicted, Valdez, Oliva, and Beron each face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The investigations were conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Dallas Field Division, with assistance from DEA offices in Guatemala City, Bogotá, Cartagena, Panama, and San José.
The U.S. Department of Justice credited the Government of Guatemala and its law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities for facilitating the extraditions. Additional assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan in the Eastern District of Texas.
