I'd say he was at least working for the cartels since he coughed up info on his boss. I really didn't have an issue with the torture, I just don't think that's the best way to do it. If you tell the guy you're going to kill him anyway, and he's just going to be tortured longer before dying if he talks, he may eventually just decide "well fuck this, I'd rather just die." Likewise, he seemed like a really weak-willed mother fucker. I think they could have pressured him into arranging a meeting with his boss, which would be someone that could give more actionable intel than he could.