Biography
Edgar was born and grew up in Laredo, Texas. He was a high school football standout. Valdez's nickname, La Barbie, came from his American football coach at United High School; due to his light skin, green eyes, and facial features, he was compared to a Ken doll.
Valdez's first arrest came at 19 in Texas, where he was charged with criminally negligent homicide for running over a middle school counselor with his truck while speeding down a Laredo street. He was not indicted. He became a marijuana dealer on the streets of Laredo while still in high school. He turned down his father's offer to finance a college education in order to focus on his business, but was soon indicted on charges of distributing marijuana. He fled to Mexico to avoid capture, where he allegedly joined the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel and quickly moved up through the ranks due to his connections in the United States.
Read more about this topic: Edgar Valdez Villarreal
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