Reputed Sinaloa drug cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who was arrested outside of El Paso, is set to plead guilty to his role in leading the notorious criminal organization in a New York federal courtroom.
Zambada, 77, will plead guilty to several drug trafficking and money laundering charges about 10 a.m. MST, Monday, Aug. 25, in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn as part of a plea agreement, federal court records show.
Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the Sinaloa drug cartel co-founder Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, were arrested July 25, 2024, by U.S. Marshals at a Dona Ana County private airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, a small town bordering El Paso.
Zambada's case was originally scheduled to be heard in El Paso, but was moved to New York after a federal judge approved a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Zambada has been facing several charges for years in the Eastern District of New York.
Zambada is facing 17 federal criminal charges in New York. Details of the plea agreement reached by Zambada and the U.S. Attorney's Office, including what Zambada is pleading guilty to and what sentences have been agreed to, have not been released.
The charges Zambada is facing include:
continuing criminal enterprise
international cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl manufacture and distribution conspiracy
cocaine importation conspiracy
conspiracy to distribute narcotics
international distribution of cocaine
10 counts of cocaine distribution
use of firearms
conspiracy to launder narcotics proceeds
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Sinaloa drug cartel leader 'El Mayo' set to plead guilty in New York
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