TOPSHOT - A Colombian Army soldier stands next to packages of seized cocaine during a press conference at a Military Base in Bahia Solano, department of Choco, Colombia, on March 14, 2015. A joint operation between Colombia's Army and Air Force, intercepted a boat near the municipality of Nuqui, west of the country, with 583 kilos of cocaine which, according to authorities, belonged to the criminal gang "Clan Usuga" and was going to be sent to Central America. AFP PHOTO / LUIS ROBAYO (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP) (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO/AFP via Getty Images)
Boston, Massachusetts – A member of a Tijuana-based Sinaloa Cartel cell has pleaded guilty to his role in a bi-coastal drug trafficking and money laundering operation that stretched from Mexico to New England and funneled proceeds across international borders.
Eber Alain Estrada Palafox, also known by the alias “Doctor,” entered the plea in federal court on Wednesday, admitting to three conspiracy counts: distributing cocaine, distributing heroin, and laundering money. The 39-year-old Mexican national now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with the potential for life behind bars. His sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2025.
According to prosecutors, Palafox was a key player in a criminal network that moved large quantities of narcotics from Mexico into California, and from there across the country into Massachusetts and the broader New England region. Over two years, Palafox worked with a group of Massachusetts-based co-conspirators to coordinate shipments of cocaine and heroin. In one case, what was expected to be a heroin shipment was later confirmed to be pure fentanyl—a synthetic opioid that continues to drive the nation’s overdose crisis.
In addition to his drug trafficking role, Palafox admitted to laundering drug proceeds through a Connecticut auto dealership. Prosecutors say he used State Line Auto Sales in Enfield, operated by a co-conspirator, to wire illicit profits back to his mother in Mexico, concealing the true source of the funds.
Federal officials emphasized the international and financial dimensions of the case. “This case underscores the increasingly global footprint of drug cartels and the sophisticated financial mechanisms they use to legitimize their profits,” said Acting DEA Special Agent Stephen Belleau.
The charges carry steep penalties. In addition to the potential life sentence for drug conspiracy, Palafox faces up to 20 years for money laundering and up to $10.5 million in combined fines. He will also be subject to deportation proceedings after serving any imposed sentence.
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office has led the prosecution, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck handling the case out of the Springfield office.
The guilty plea comes amid intensifying scrutiny of cartel-linked networks operating within the U.S., and the case illustrates how organized crime adapts, embedding itself within both illegal drug markets and seemingly legitimate business fronts.
