2 weeks ago
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(NewsNation) — The erstwhile caput of the Sinaloa cause cartel pleaded blameworthy to national charges erstwhile helium appearted successful tribunal connected Monday aft antecedently maintaining his innocence.
Ismael Zambada, known arsenic “El Mayo”, was arrested successful Texas past period and national prosecutors said successful a tribunal filing up of Monday’s proceeding successful a Brooklyn national courtroom that they expected the 77-year-old to plead blameworthy to 1 number of racketeering conspiracy and 1 number of continuing a transgression enterprise.
Federal prosecutors announced earlier this period that they would not question the decease punishment successful the case. Zambada entered the blameworthy plea during the proceeding earlier the national judge.
"I admit the large harm amerciable drugs person done to the radical successful the United States and Mexico," Zambada said during his tribunal appearance. "I apologize for each of it, and I instrumentality work for my actions.”
Perez antecedently stated that Zambada was not considering a imaginable woody with the authorities and that helium expected the lawsuit to proceed to trial. Asked if helium felt Zambada could person a just trial, Perez said, “We’ll see.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi is expected to code the alteration of plea astatine a quality league connected Monday afternoon. Zambada volition beryllium sentenced connected Jan. 13, 2026, and is expected to look beingness successful prison. He is expected to surrender $15 cardinal successful assets to the U.S. government.
Zambada is accused of co-founding the Sinaloa Cartel alongside convicted cause kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Zambada was arrested past year alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a lad of his erstwhile partner, adjacent El Paso, Texas. Together, the 2 men led the cause cartel, which was liable for the trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine and different illicit drugs from Mexico into the United States.
Prosecutors said that nether Zambada and Guzman, the Sinaloa cartel transitioned from a determination subordinate to the largest cause trafficking transgression enactment successful the world.
Prosecutors accidental that Zambada oversaw a large, convulsive transgression enactment that utilized an array of military-grade weapons, had a backstage information unit and besides had a corps of hitmen who carried retired assassinations, kidnappings and torture.
Prosecutors besides assertion that conscionable months earlier helium was arrested successful 2024, Zambada had ordered the execution of his nephew.
Guzmán was sentenced to beingness down bars pursuing his condemnation successful the aforesaid national tribunal successful Brooklyn successful 2019. His 2 sons, who ran a cartel faction, besides look national charges.
