SAN DIEGO -- The one-time leader of the notorious Arellano-Felix drug cartel apologized Monday upon being sentenced to life in prison for his crimes, which included ordering the murders of informants, law enforcement personnel and other victims.

Francisco Javier Arellano-Felix pleaded guilty on Sept. 17 to operating a criminal enterprise and money laundering. The defendant's plea came two days after outgoing U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez decided against seeking the death penalty.

At Monday's sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns, who ordered the 37-year-old defendant to spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole, defense attorney David Bartick read a letter written by his client.

"I would like to ask for forgiveness from my mother, my wife and my children for having to leave them alone as I serve a life sentence due to may erroneous actions and unlawful activity. Please forgive me," Arellano-Felix's letter read.

"Most importantly, I would like to ask forgiveness from all of those people, on both sides of the border, who I have affected by my wrongful decisions and criminal conduct.

"I am very remorseful, and personally accept responsibility for my actions," the letter continued. "If I had the power to change and undo the things that I have done, I would."

But the judge was unmoved, telling Arellano-Felix that he had "ruined lives" by his acts of violence, torture, murder and kidnapping.

"You can't go back, and today is your day of accounting," the judge told the defendant.

The judge said Arellano-Felix's actions had a "devastating" effect on people, telling the defendant he had created numerous drug addicts who in turn robbed and stole from others.

Burns told Arellano-Felix that his family name would live in "infamy."

Arellano-Felix ran the AFO from 2002 until his capture in August 2006 aboard the 43-foot yacht the "Dock Holiday."

As part of his sentence, the defendant agreed to forfeit the yacht and $50 million he made from illicit drug proceeds.

One of Arellano-Felix's top lieutenants, Manuel Arturo Villareal-Heredia, also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 7.