Who Is ‘Carlitos Rugrats’? The Los Mayos Lieutenant Wanted in San Diego on 7 Federal Counts, Including Narcoterrorism — the Man ‘Cara de Cochi’ Allegedly Guarded
The weekend arrest of “El Cara de Cochi” in Valle de Bravo has put a new name in the search bar: “Carlitos Rugrats.” State of Mexico prosecutors say the detained man, Jesús Darío Murrieta Navarro, was security chief for Carlos Alberto Páez Pereda, the alleged leader of a Sinaloa Cartel wing called Los Rugrats, Infobae reported on Oct. 12, 2026. Páez Pereda is wanted by the FBI in San Diego, California, and remains at large.
What the U.S. charges say
According to the FBI’s wanted poster, a federal court in the Southern District of California issued an arrest warrant on March 27, 2026, on seven counts: narcoterrorism; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization; running a continuing criminal enterprise; three drug-conspiracy counts; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was unsealed on July 7, 2026, NBC 7 San Diego reported.
The FBI alleges Páez Pereda runs a “prolific manufacturing and distribution network” of fentanyl, cocaine and meth for the Mayo Zambada faction, enforces it through murder and kidnapping using armed fighters and hitmen, and controls part of the cartel’s transport from Sinaloa to Tijuana. Prosecutors say the drugs ended up in the San Diego area and elsewhere. Citing the indictment, NBC 7 and ABC 10News reported that he allegedly brought in tens of thousands of kilograms of drugs and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars over roughly a decade. The FBI lists a birth date of Sept. 27, 1995, and says he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Laguna Colorada, Culiacán and the Arzate brothers
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned him on Sept. 18, 2025. It said he is based in Laguna Colorada, Sinaloa, produces fentanyl, and is “one of the major narcotics traffickers in Culiacan.” Treasury also said he “is known to have murdered and attempted assassinations of rival cartel figures on orders from Rene Arzate,” whom it described as a Los Mayos boss who controls Rosarito, Baja California. Infobae reports that Los Rugrats fight alongside Los Mayos, Los Rusos and Grupo Flechas against Los Chapitos.
Where the case stands
Páez Pereda has not been arrested and is presumed innocent. The charges are allegations, not findings. In Toluca, a Colombian man identified as Christian “N” was arrested on Oct. 10. Infobae described him as Páez Pereda’s logistics liaison. Mexican authorities have not said publicly whether the weekend arrests brought them closer to finding him.
Sources
- FBI, wanted poster: Carlos Alberto Paez Pereda (accessed Oct. 12, 2026)
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, “Alleged Leader of Violent Wing of Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Narcoterrorism, Material Support,” July 7, 2026 (details as reported by NBC 7 and ABC 10News)
- NBC 7 San Diego (City News Service), July 7, 2026
- ABC 10News San Diego (City News Service), July 2026
- U.S. Treasury, “Treasury Sanctions Powerful Faction of the Terrorist Sinaloa Cartel,” Sept. 18, 2025
- Infobae, “Cae en el Edomex ‘El Cara de Cochi’, vinculado a ‘Carlitos Rugrats’ y Caro Quintero,” Oct. 12, 2026
- Photos: FBI (wanted poster, via Infobae); U.S. Department of Justice (via ABC 10News)
Reported Oct. 12, 2026, from the sources above. The Narco Blog could not load the Justice Department release directly and relied on outlets quoting it. Páez Pereda has not been convicted of any crime.