A control judge has ordered Feliciano "N", known as "El Dámaso", to stand trial for aggravated extortion against a tire vendor in the Tláhuac district. The ruling, issued on October 29, adds to an earlier case for drug dealing and bribery and keeps the defendant in pretrial detention at the Reclusorio Preventivo Varonil Oriente in Mexico City.
- Key Point: The judge linked Feliciano "N" to the extortion of a tire merchant in Tláhuac.
- Key Point: He already faced charges of drug dealing and bribery after his arrest on October 13 in Tlalpan.
- Key Point: Pretrial detention was upheld, and the judge set two months to close the supplementary investigation.
Alleged second-in-command of the Tláhuac Cartel
The Mexico City Attorney General's Office (FGJCDMX) identifies Feliciano "N" as one of the suspected leaders of the Tláhuac Cartel, specifically as its second-in-command.
Investigators from the Police of Investigation (PDI) arrested him on October 13 at a shopping center in Tlalpan after months of intelligence work that tracked his movements in Tláhuac, Xochimilco and Milpa Alta.
The Fiscalía de Investigación de Asuntos Relevantes led the inquiry. Surveillance and data analysis established his identity and his travel patterns across those three districts. At the time of his arrest, caught in the act for probable drug offenses, authorities seized doses of marijuana, cocaine and two cellphones.
According to PDI intelligence, the suspect was linked to extortion of merchants, property seizures and drug sales in Tláhuac. On October 20, a judge ordered him to trial for drug dealing and bribery and imposed pretrial detention, opening the first criminal case against him.
"Protection payments" at a tire shop in Zapotitla
A second investigation documented that, since July 2023, Feliciano "N" went with other men to a tire sales and purchase stall in the Zapotitla neighborhood of Tláhuac. There he demanded payments for "protection" in exchange for supposed security against robberies and other crimes in the area.
The demands continued over the following years, with amounts between 500 and 5,000 pesos. According to the inquiries, when the merchant failed to gather the required money, he was physically attacked and threatened by the group accompanying "El Dámaso."
Authorities also revealed that on August 7, 2026, the suspect returned to the stall with other men. One of them threatened the victim with a firearm and struck him in the face in front of his business. Fearing further attacks, the merchant stopped setting up his stall on the street.
The threats did not stop. During September and October, the aggressors went directly to the merchant's home to demand more money and strip him of various belongings, expanding the extortion pattern documented by the Public Prosecutor's Office beyond the original sales point.
Identification, arrest warrant and investigation deadline
After the October 13 arrest, the merchant identified Feliciano "N" as one of those involved in the extortions against him. Based on that testimony and various ministerial proceedings, the prosecutor gathered the evidence needed to request an arrest warrant for aggravated extortion.
The warrant was executed on October 25 by PDI agents inside the Reclusorio Preventivo Varonil Oriente, where the defendant was already held in the drug dealing and bribery case.
At the October 29 hearing, the prosecutor presented the evidence gathered during the investigation. With those elements, the judge ordered Feliciano "N", alias "El Dámaso," to stand trial for aggravated extortion and upheld pretrial detention. The judge also set a two-month deadline to close the supplementary investigation into this second offense.
The FGJCDMX keeps open the possibility that other victims may join the case. People who recognize Feliciano "N" and have suffered a crime related to him can call the Fiscal's Direct Line at 55 5345 5000 or go in person to the Fiscalía de Investigación de Asuntos Relevantes at Avenida Jardín 356, Colonia Del Gas, Azcapotzalco district.
With two criminal proceedings underway and pretrial detention upheld, the case of "El Dámaso" appears to be a key piece in dismantling the extortion networks attributed to the Tláhuac Cartel. The outcome of the supplementary investigation, expected within two months, will determine whether the case expands with new charges or moves toward trial for the extortion of the tire shop.