FBI: Drug Gang's Violent Leader Added To Top 10

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The FBI says Eduardo "Tablas" Ravelo may have had plastic surgery to disguise his appearance, and could possibly be bald or have a shaved head. This photograph was taken in 1998.

The FBI has named Eduardo Ravelo -- the reputed leader of the famed Barrio Azteca street gang -- to their Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list on October 21, 2009.

The alleged Mexican gang leader was indicted -- along with 29 other gang members -- in 2008 in a Racketeer Influence and Corruption Organizations case.  The FBI says the charges range from murder to extortion to drug trafficking -- and that Ravelo is the “capo” (“captain”) in the violent gang.

The FBI says the gang -- based in Juarez, Mexico -- is in a war with other rival drug cartels and has contributed significantly to the 2,000-plus murders in the city just in 2009.  They also say that although Eduardo Ravelo has not been formally been charged with murder, he has “green lighted” many “hits” in the area.

“From everything our intelligence sources tell us, Ravelo is a ruthless killer who has absolutely no regard for human life,” said Special Agent Samantha Mikeska, who has been working Barrio Azteca cases since 2003.

Agents tell AMW that Ravelo operates between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas across the border.  They say the Barrio Azteca is affiliated with the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes drug trafficking organization, and has around 600 active members.

The FBI says many of the members are incarcerated in prisons in the United States and Mexico, but manage to stay afloat financially by having the profits of the gang’s illegal rackets deposited into their prison commissary accounts.

“They are well organized and they are dangerous,” said S.A. Mikeska.

That’s why the FBI needs the public’s help in capturing the Barrio Azteca gang’s numero uno:  Eduardo Ravelo.

Authorities: Ravelo May Have Had Plastic Surgery

Ravelo is also known as “Tablas,” or “wooden board” in Spanish.  He is believed to be 41 years old, but has used many different birth dates in the past.

His many aliases includes Eduardo Rodriguez, Eduardo Rabelo, “2x4,” and “T-Blas.”

Agents say Ravelo could have undergone plastic surgery to conceal his identity.  They also say he could have altered his fingerprints to elude capture.

The FBI also says Eduardo Ravelo leads a modest lifestyle in order to mask the amounts of wealth he has accumulated over the years.

“We think he’s in Juarez, Mexico,” remarked FBI spokesman S.A. Andrea Simmons. “He may be coming back and forth occasionally.  In the last 11 years, we think he’s come back a few times [to El Paso], but for the most part he has been down there.”

Agents also say that Ravelo is very well-protected by a dangerous entourage and could be traveling in armored vehicles.

“Because of his position, it’s understood that he has bodyguards and the protection of police down there,” remarked Special Agent Simmons.

The FBI describes Eduardo Ravelo as standing at 5’9” tall and could weigh anywhere between 150 and 180 lbs.  They say he has a scar on his face and tattoos on his chest and abdomen.

Authorities say Eduardo “Tablas” Ravelo should be considered armed and dangerous.

“If he gets picked up, it will put a big dent in the gang’s operation,” S.A. Mikeska said.  “Ravelo needs to be brought to justice.”