Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the alleged co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, will appear in a U.S. court on Thursday following his recent arrest.
Court Appearance Details
- Date and Time:
- Zambada is scheduled to attend a status conference at 1 p.m. MDT (1900 GMT) in El Paso, Texas.
- The hearing, overseen by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone, will cover legal matters such as evidence disclosure and scheduling.
- Charges:
- Zambada faces drug trafficking charges, along with racketeering conspiracy and murder related to drug trafficking.
- The charges date back to a 2012 case and include allegations of kidnapping and murder tied to drug operations.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
- Arrest:
- Zambada, 74, was arrested on July 25. He was apprehended alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
- Guzman Lopez, 38, was also charged with drug trafficking and appeared in court in Chicago.
- Circumstances:
- U.S. officials reported that Guzman Lopez deceived Zambada into boarding a plane, claiming they were inspecting real estate in Mexico. The plane flew to the U.S., where Guzman Lopez planned to surrender.
- Zambada’s lawyer, Frank Perez, claims his client was kidnapped by Guzman Lopez and others in military uniforms.
- Defense and Prosecution:
- Guzman Lopez’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, dismissed the kidnapping accusations as baseless.
- Zambada’s legal team disputes the details of the arrest, alleging forced abduction.
Additional Charges and Jurisdictions
- Other Federal Cases:
- In addition to the Texas case, Zambada faces charges in four other federal jurisdictions.
- In Brooklyn, New York, he is charged with conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, a powerful opioid linked to the U.S. opioid crisi.
