Two Extortionists Sentenced to 22 and 15 Years in Cancún

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Two men have been sentenced separately to prison terms of 22 years and six months, and 15 years, respectively, after judges found them responsible for extorting merchants in Cancún, state prosecutors said.

Luis Felipe Canché Ceballos received the longer sentence and was also ordered to pay a fine of 155,610 pesos for a case involving a business on Avenida Tulum in the Supermanzana 2 district of Cancún.

According to evidence presented by the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office (FGEQROO), Canché Ceballos arrived at the business with two other people and asked to speak with the manager.

During the meeting, he claimed to belong to a criminal group and demanded 300,000 pesos as a “derecho de piso” — a protection payment commonly extorted from businesses in Mexico. He backed the demand with threats, warning that the establishment would be attacked if the money was not handed over.

Investigators have also linked the convict to other probes into possible extortion cases, though the sentence in this case covers only the acts proven before the court.

Separate Case, Second Sentence

In a separate proceeding, Ángel Ariel Sánchez Herrera was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 103,704 pesos.

That case dates to May 3, 2023, when he arrived at a business on a motorcycle accompanied by another man.

Evidence examined during the trial showed that Sánchez Herrera claimed to belong to a criminal organization and demanded 4,000 pesos a month from the victim, using a firearm to reinforce the threat.

Two days later, on May 5, he returned to the same establishment to press for payment again. The victim handed over only 2,600 pesos, less than the amount demanded. After taking the cash, he left the scene on a motorcycle.

Sánchez Herrera has also been linked to investigations into acts that could constitute extortion and that allegedly affected several businesses in the Tres Reyes neighborhood.

The two sentences were issued separately after the courts reviewed the evidence presented by the State Prosecutor’s Office in each case.