Take a look inside the plane that carried alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader 'El Mayo' Zambada
Aaron A. Bedoya, El Paso Times
·2 min read
Law enforcement took Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, into custody Thursday, July 25, on the tarmac of Doña Ana County International Jetport in New Mexico, where El Paso's wealthiest residents keep their private planes, according to a report from USA Today.
Zambada made an initial appearance Friday, July 26, in the Western District of Texas at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse in Downtown El Paso, federal court records show.
He pleaded not guilty to the seven charges filed against him, records show. The charges are:
Conspiracy to possess firearm/drug traffickers and aid and abet
Zambada kidnapped, flown to US, lawyer says
Late Saturday, July 27, criminal defense lawyer Frank Perez told USA TODAY that his client, Zambada, did not board the plane voluntarily, but as part of a deal orchestrated by the son of El Chapo to secure a better plea agreement with U.S. authorities for himself.
"My client neither surrendered nor negotiated any terms with the U.S. government," Perez said in a statement given exclusively to USA TODAY. "Joaquin Guzman Lopez forcibly kidnapped my client. He was ambushed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed by six men in military uniforms and Joaquin."
After that, Perez said, Zambada's "legs were tied, and a black bag was placed over his head. He was then thrown into the back of a pickup truck and taken to a landing strip. There, he was forced onto a plane, his legs tied to the seat by Joaquin, and brought to the U.S. against his will. The only people on the plane were the pilot, Joaquin and my client."
Inside plane that carried 'El Mayo' and son of 'El Chapo'
USA Today reporter Lauren Villagran and El Paso Times reporter Aaron Martinez contributed to this report.
In today's edition: Team USA men's basketball begins its gold medal quest, the Americans earn their first gold of Paris 2024, Simone Biles spotlight, the USWNT take the field again, and more.
If you’re searching for today’s best savings interest rates, we’ve narrowed down some of the top offers. Learn more about savings interest rates today.
L.A.'s moves were part of what should be a micro-rebuild, putting the Chargers onto a path that will eventually look similar to established franchises like the Ravens, Steelers and Packers.
The Department of Justice on Friday night asked a federal court to reject TikTok’s bid to have the law that could ban it overturned, citing national security concerns that include its alleged use of internal search tools to collect information on users’ views around sensitive topics.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles this week granted Nuro approval to test its third-generation R3 autonomous delivery vehicle in four Bay Area cities, giving the AV startup a positive boost after facing some setbacks and financial struggles. The approval gives Nuro the ability to test its driverless delivery vehicle in Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos and Menlo Park. Nuro’s vehicles, which don't have seats, windows, steering wheels or pedals, aren’t designed to carry passengers, only goods.
Two years ago, workers at an Apple Store in Towson, Maryland were the first to establish a formally recognized union at an Apple retail store in the United States. Now they’re the first to reach a tentative contract agreement. According to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, which represents approximately 85 employees at the Towson store, the three-year agreement includes scheduling improvements, average raises of 10% over the life of the contract, a severance clause and limits on contracted employees, and a transparent disciplinary process.