Del Records CEO Ángel Del Villar Sentenced to Four Years in Prison Under Kingpin Act

Ángel Del Villar, the founder and chief executive of influential música Mexicana label Del Records, was sentenced on Friday to four years in federal prison after being convicted of conducting business with a sanctioned drug trafficker in violation of the U.S. Kingpin Act.
U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong handed down the sentence in downtown Los Angeles, ordering Del Villar, 45, to also pay a $2 million fine and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. His company, Del Entertainment, received a parallel sentence of three years’ probation and a $1.8 million fine.
The ruling came five months after a jury found Del Villar guilty of conspiring to continue business dealings with Mexican promoter Jesús “Chucho” Pérez Alvear, despite the U.S. Treasury Department blacklisting Pérez in 2018 for allegedly facilitating money laundering operations for the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization.
Del Villar’s sister broke down in tears as the sentence was read, while the music executive nodded in apparent relief. “I’m very happy for the outcome,” he told Rolling Stone as he exited the courthouse. “I’m at peace, and literally, I think I’ve left about 2,000 pounds of stress in there.”
Federal prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of six and a half years, arguing Del Villar’s conduct undermined the entire sanctions framework designed to economically isolate foreign drug traffickers. Judge Frimpong, however, opted for a lower sentence, noting Del Villar’s cultural contributions and the hundreds of letters submitted to the court on his behalf. “I have seen a glimpse of your character and the person that you are,” the judge told him, while also acknowledging the seriousness of the offense.
Prosecutors built their case around evidence that Del Villar continued business with Pérez and his company, Gallística Diamante, after the promoter was formally designated a “specially designated narcotics trafficker” under the Kingpin Act in April 2018. According to court filings, Del Villar’s company generated more than $1.5 million from concerts promoted by Pérez after that date.
Jurors also heard testimony about Del Villar’s relationship with his then-star artist, Gerardo Ortiz. The Grammy-nominated narcocorrido singer had been warned by FBI agents in April 2018 to stop performing at Pérez’s events. Prosecutors said Ortiz initially intended to comply but was persuaded by Del Villar to continue, leading to 19 more performances promoted by Pérez.
“At no time has he accepted any responsibility for his actions,” prosecutors argued in their sentencing memo. “The whole point of the sanctions regime -to economically isolate and cripple foreign bad actors- depends on U.S. persons taking sanctions designations seriously. Defendant did not.”
Throughout the trial, Del Villar’s attorneys maintained that he was misled by company insiders. Defense lawyer Marissa Goldberg told jurors that a former Del Records vice president orchestrated the dealings with Pérez and even canceled a press release intended to announce Ortiz’s withdrawal from Pérez’s festival. “There is something deeply wrong and manipulative about how this case was created and investigated,” Goldberg said.
Ortiz himself pleaded guilty to a narrowly tailored charge related to performing at Pérez-promoted shows. His lawyer emphasized that Ortiz was not accused of conspiring with cartels, only of continuing to work with a promoter who had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury.
The case has rippled through the música Mexicana industry, where Del Records has long been a powerhouse label, particularly in the narcocorrido and regional Mexican genres. Just last week, the Treasury Department expanded its sanctions list to include another artist tied to the label: Ricardo Hernández Medrano, better known as “El Makabelico” or “Comando Exclusivo.” Officials alleged that Hernández laundered funds for the Cartel del Noreste, formerly known as Los Zetas, through concerts and royalties.
Del Villar’s conviction underscores the scrutiny federal officials are placing on the intersection of the Latin music industry and organized crime, particularly when artists or promoters appear to facilitate cartel operations. While Judge Frimpong acknowledged Del Villar’s influence and the support he has within the community, she also made clear that the violation of sanctions could not be ignored.
Del Villar is expected to surrender to prison authorities by December 1.
