In second hearing, ‘El Mayo’ case declared ‘complex’

In a wheelchair, the Mexican drug trafficker Ismael The May Zambada faced his second appearance in a federal court in Texas yesterday, after having been arrested last week.

His next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9. His attorneys declined to comment after the brief hearing, which was presided over by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone.

The MayThe 76-year-old was wearing a hospital bracelet. He is being held without bail and pleaded not guilty at a hearing last week, which he also attended in a wheelchair.

Prior to the hearing, the prosecution filed a motion with the district court to declare this case as complexa resource that avoids a speedy trial.

Prosecutors say the charges against Zambada relate to a 2012 grand jury indictment of 24 members of the Sinaloa cartel.

From this file arise the seven charges against The May: organized crime, two charges of cocaine and marijuana trafficking; money laundering; possession of firearms; aggravated homicide and criminal activities continuing for decades.

Thursday’s hearing included discussions on whether Zambada should be tried with the other defendants or separately.

Of those defendants, the United States has secured the extradition of some and convictions.

At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Cardone asked Zambada if he was aware that having the same lawyer as his son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, The Vicentillocould represent a conflict of interest. The May He answered yes.

The Vicentillo He was extradited to the United States in 2010 and reached a cooperation agreement with the authorities. Sentenced to 15 years in prison, he was released in 2021 and is supposed to be a protected witness. His lawyer, Frank Pérez, is the same as The May.

The district court set a September 11 deadline for a possible agreement between The May and prosecutors, although the date may be moved.

Zambada, the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, eluded authorities for decades until a plane he was on board with Joaquín Guzmán López, son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín El Chapo Guzman landed at an airport near El Paso on July 25.

Both men were arrested and remain in jail. Guzman Lopez, 38, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to drug trafficking and other charges in federal court in Chicago.

Very little is known about the details of that trip.

Zambada was thought to be more involved in the cartel’s day-to-day operations than its better-known leader, El Chapowho was sentenced to life in prison in the United States in 2019.

Zambada has lawsuits pending against him in several US states, including New York and California. Prosecutors filed a new indictment against him in the Iron City in February, describing him as the main leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for importing huge quantities of narcotics into the US.

(With information from Ap)