A Spanish-language music executive and his Bell Gardens-based label are expected to be sentenced Friday for doing business with a concert promoter linked to Mexican drug cartels.
Angel Del Villar, 44, of Huntington Beach, the chief executive of Del Records and its subsidiary talent agency Del Entertainment, was found guilty in March of one count of conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking, in violation of the Kingpin Act, and 10 other counts of violating the Kingpin Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Co-defendant Del Entertainment also was found guilty of all 11 counts of which Del Villar was convicted.
According to evidence presented at a nine-day trial in L.A. federal court, the defendants did business with Jesús Pérez “Chuco” Alvear, of Guadalajara, Mexico, a music promoter who controlled Gallistica Diamante, known as Ticket Premier. Pérez promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019.
The U.S. Treasury Department listed Pérez and his company as “specially designated narcotics traffickers” under the Kingpin Act in April 2018, after concluding he facilitated money laundering for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación and the Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization. The Kingpin Act prevents people in the United States from doing business with sanctioned persons and entities.
U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong scheduled a sentencing hearing for Friday, at which time the government is expected to ask for a prison sentence of about six and a half years for Del Villar. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years probation and a possible fine of $10 million, officials said.
Letters of support for Del Villar from state Assemblymember José Luis Solache (D-Lynwood) and Lynwood Mayor Rita Soto have been received by the court.
Co-defendant Luca Scalisi, 58, of West Hollywood, Del Records’ chief financial officer, pleaded guilty in May to violating the Kingpin Act and is scheduled to be sentenced next month in downtown Los Angeles.
Pérez, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking, was murdered in Mexico in December 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Founded by Del Villar in 2009, Del Records specializes in regional Mexican music genres such as corrido and norteño.