‘El Mayo’ is already in NY; today, first hearing

New York and Washington., Ismael The May Zambada will have his first appearance before a federal court in New York today, where he will hear the charges against him and will likely be ordered to remain in prison while the first stages of the case proceed, which could culminate in his trial or in a plea deal with U.S. authorities.

The fact is that as of today, the provisional address of The May will be held in a detention center in New York after being transferred from Texas.

Their case is now before the federal court of the Eastern District of New York, based in Brooklyn, where Joaquin was tried El Chapo Guzmán and more recently Genaro García Luna. And if the case goes to trial, it will have Brian Cogan, the same judge who presided over the cases of the previous ones. But for the bureaucratic procedure this Friday, a magistrate judge will be in charge.

The federal prosecutor’s office will present the indictment today with the charges against The Maywhich was updated in February to include fentanyl trafficking, during a brief session before a magistrate judge.

There are 17 charges

That indictment now includes 17 charges, including continuously managing a criminal organization, which carries a life sentence. It also includes charges of drug trafficking, illegal firearms and money laundering, each of which carry sentences of 10 to 30 years in prison.

What’s more, federal prosecutors in New York, led by Breon Peace, offer some context to the case in a motion to Judge Cogan to keep Zambada incarcerated. “The defendant has dedicated his efforts over decades to increasing and enhancing the power of the (Sinaloa) cartel and his individual power and position in the cartel after his associate El Chapo was captured,” they wrote on Thursday.

They accuse that under his leadership violence and murder have been used to silence witnesses and dissuade authorities from fulfilling their duties. He stresses that a cornerstone of the cartel’s command and control is public corruption.

They report that the accused has enjoyed full impunity at the highest levels through payment of bribes to government officials and public security officers. He controlled corrupt officials and agents, who protected his workers and drug shipments as they were transported through Mexico to the United States..

They point out that witnesses in the trials of El Chapo and García Luna detailed how Corruption at all levels was necessary for the accused’s illegal activities. From local police officers who escorted drugs through Mexico to corrupt officials who informed the cartel of military actions and judicial investigations. The cartel spent millions of dollars a year at the defendant’s direction on payments for corruptionhe adds.

Thus, the prosecutors requested that The May not be released while awaiting trial, as it represents a danger to the community and there is a high risk that he will flee. They therefore requested that the accused be permanently detained pending trial, something that will surely be approved.