United States wants to try Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York

United States wants to try Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel; The defense is trying to prevent this transfer

This way, that the Eastern District of New York; same federal court where Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman was sentenced to life imprisonment.

After Frank A. Perez and Ray Verde, attorneys for the notorious drug trafficker, challenged the U.S. Attorney’s request on August 23rd and asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to keep the case, the U.S. DOJ wants to try Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York City.

Lawyers for “El Mayo” filed a new motion in which they allege that they did not offer any “plausible basis” to prevent their client from being transferred to New York.

Additionally, they indicated that they are not required to argue which process should be followed first, when there are numerous to choose from.

It was last Friday when ‘El Mayo’s’ legal defense accused the authorities of the country of the stars and stripes of seeking to have the case transferred to Brooklyn “without grounds”.

Read here: Ismael El Mayo Zambada’s trial to be held in New York

United States wants to try Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York

They asked Judge Kathleen Cardone, who is handling his case in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, to keep him in her custody.

They pointed out that Rule 5 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure “contemplates only one initial appearance per defendant per district at a time” and “says nothing about authorizing a second one”.

Finally, seeing that the United States wants to try Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York, the defense believes that charges in that jurisdiction would violate his right to a speedy trial in Texas.

“For the foregoing reasons, Mr. Zambada Garcia respectfully requests that the Court dismiss the Government’s motion for initial appearance and stay of the speedy trial provisions,” they concluded.

The indictment in New York is one of at least four that the drug lord faces on U.S. soil. However, it stands out because on February 15, 2024, the Department of Justice updated it to include a fifth crime: conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl.

This is the only indictment that mentions the potent synthetic opioid, which has generated a serious overdose death crisis in the United States and has become the focus of the country’s anti-drug policy.