FBI's Most Wanted Dealer Captured

P H O E N I X, July 10 -- An accused drug ring leader sought in the 1994killing of an undercover federal drug agent was arrested by Mexicanauthorities, officials said today.

Augustin Vasquez Mendoza, who has been on the FBI’s 10 MostWanted List for four years, was captured Sunday in Tehuacan incentral Mexico. U.S. authorities, who had offered $2.2 million forhis capture, have agreed to waive the death penalty as a term ofhis extradition.

Extradition could take up to a year, Maricopa County AttorneyRick Romley said.

He said informants who helped authorities capture the fugitivewill split the $2.2 million.

Robbed Other Drug DealersAuthorities said Vasquez Mendoza’s ring produced significantamounts of methamphetamine in Michoacan, Mexico, for import to theUnited States. The ring specialized in robbing drug dealers and was alsoinvolved in murders, kidnapping, rapes and marijuana cultivation,authorities said.

In 1994, Vasquez Mendoza was implicated in the killing ofundercover DEA Agent Richard Fass, who was shot in Arizona whilebuying methamphetamine from several alleged ring members,authorities said.

Two gunmen were arrested as they fled and a third accomplice wascaptured a few days later, but Vasquez Mendoza escaped.

The fugitive was indicted by a grand jury on charges includingconspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree murder, aggravatedassault, kidnapping and attempted armed robbery.