New York, United States.- A federal judge said Friday that the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, who was arrested a few months ago in the United States, can be transferred from Texas to New York, where he will face a new trial.
The order by Judge Kathleen Cardone in El Paso came after attorneys for Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada said the day before that they no longer oppose the prosecutor’s request for transfer.
Zambada, 76, was arrested in July along with Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, at an airport near El Paso. They are charged in the United States with multiple drug trafficking offenses and remain in jail. Zambada, who faces charges in multiple jurisdictions, has appeared in federal court in El Paso, where he pleaded not guilty to several drug trafficking charges.
Cardone said in his order that Zambada must complete his legal process in New York before continuing his proceedings in Texas.
“El Chapo” Guzmán was convicted in 2019 on drug trafficking and racketeering charges in New York and was sentenced to life in prison. In New York, Zambada is charged with running a criminal enterprise, racketeering to commit murder, drug trafficking and other crimes. Zambada has said he came to the United States after being kidnapped in his home country on his way to what he thought would be a meeting with a Mexican official. Joaquín Guzmán López pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges on Tuesday, days after his surprise capture in the United States. Guzmán López has appeared in federal court in Chicago, where he has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges.
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