San Diego: Tijuana man pleads guilty to slashing throats of fellow drug traffickers

A Tijuana man pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court today to slashing the throats of two fellow drug traffickers whom he believed had stolen methamphetamine and cocaine proceeds from their organization.

Roberto Ochoa, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced June 6 by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of an intentional killing during the course of a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Ochoa was indicted in November 2011 along with a dozen others who were accused of drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. To date, eight people have pleaded guilty, including Ochoa.

According to court records, in December 2011, Drug Enforcement Administration agents initiated an investigation into a San Diego-based narcotics distribution cell.

During the course of the investigation, agents identified a number of people that worked for the cell, including Ochoa.

On Oct. 19, 2012, the defendants and others interrogated Hector Gonzalez and Rodolfo Robles at a home in San Jacinto about the theft of drug proceeds. Ochoa and another individual then cut the victims' throats, prosecutors said. Riverside County sheriff's officers conducted a welfare check at the home on Nov. 9. 2012, and found the victims' bodies.