Mexican authorities claim to be actively looking for a fearsome cartel boss who is behind the widespread extortion of citrus growers and farmers in Michoacan, as well as numerous murders and kidnappings. Despite the claims by government officials, Mexican authorities have been unable or unwilling to capture him, despite knowing his address. When they did capture him in 2018, a judge released him two years later, claiming there was not enough evidence against him.
The Breitbart News Foundation has obtained, for the second time, an address currently used by Cesar “El Boto” Sepulveda Arellano in Michoacán. The man known as El Boto is the leader of the Blancos de Troya faction of Los Viagras, a regional cartel based in Michoacan that is one of the main producers of synthetic drugs and also a key importer of cocaine into Mexico.
Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
As Breitbart News Foundation reported, since a Michoacan state judge ordered his release in 2020, El Boto began an intense extortion campaign targeting citrus and avocado farmers. Most recently, the Michoacan Attorney General’s Office and the federal government singled him out as the mastermind behind the murder of Bernardo Bravo, the leader of a farmers’ organization that had been drawing attention to the plight of citrus growers who had to deal with cartel threats and extortion.
Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
Despite pressure and comments from government officials, El Boto continues to operate in Apatzingan, Michoacán, where he is protected not only by his criminal organization but also by politicians.
He Lives Here
In July 2025, Breitbart News Foundation revealed the location of a red house used by El Boto along Lazaro Cardenas Avenue in the town of Cenobio Moreno, highlighting the issue that Mexican authorities have known his location and hideouts for some time but have not acted against him.
As part of an ongoing in-depth investigation into Los Blancos de Troya, Breitbart News Foundation identified another of his hideouts in the municipality of Apatzingán, Michoacán, where locals have reportedly seen him in recent days.
The house, which has been used by both El Boto and his family, is on the 600 block of Del Deporte Avenue in the town of Cenobio Moreno, in the municipality of Apatzingan.
The man known as El Boto is the same cartel figure who, in 2018, tried to put a hit on Breitbart Cartel Chronicles contributing writer Jose Luis Lara. Less than 48 hours after Sepulveda put out the word, Breitbart News published exclusive photographs of a handcuffed Sepulveda at one of his ranches in Michoacan. Mexican military forces had received an anonymous tip about El Boto’s location and arrested him on various state charges.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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