A federal judge in Texas This Wednesday rejected the Justice Department’s request to prioritize the case New York About one of the co-founders of Texas The Sinaloa Cartel, Ismail “El Mayo” Zambada.
Magistrate Kathleen CardoneEl Paso denied the department’s request to hold a preliminary hearing to inform him of the charges in New York.
Zambada, 76, is currently detained in El Paso (Texas) and has already had two preliminary hearings.
After nearly 50 years on the run in Mexico, Zambada was arrested in El Paso on July 25 and remains one of the most wanted criminals in the United States with a $15 million reward.
Rule 5 of the Criminal Procedure Code sets out when you have the right to a preliminary hearing
The government argued that a New York indictment was necessary and that “El Mayo” Zambada would then be transferred to New York. Although it has been contended by the accused that he has already conducted the preliminary hearing of his complaint TexasSo there was no need for another one.
This Wednesday’s decision considered that the obligations of the said rule had already been met and a fresh appearance was not required.
The charge in New York is one of at least four he faces in the United States, but it was updated in February of this year and is the only one that mentions the trafficking of fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that has created a serious crisis. Overdose deaths in the United States and the country’s anti-drug policy have become central.
His former partner in the Eastern District of New York is Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman He was previously sentenced to life imprisonment. One of the latter’s sons, Joaquín Guzmán López, was arrested with “El Mayo” in July.
The judge highlighted on Wednesday that the government could continue to try other ways to obtain extradition, such as dismissing the Texas charges so that his arrest would be subject to those in New York, but warned that this process would take time and that the accused maintained their right to object.
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