Sinaloa drug kingpin Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada could have cartel drug case moved to New York
Jailed co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada is reportedly having his case transferred from El Paso federal court to a New York federal court, The New York Times reported.
Zambada's drug trafficking and money laundering case will be moved from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in El Paso to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, New York, The New York Times reported four people familiar with the situation told the outlet about the transfer of the case.
The U.S. Justice Department reportedly is behind the request to move the trial, the Times reported.
If Zambada 's case is officially moved to Brooklyn, he will be tried in the same courthouse as Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, the other co-founder of the Sinaloa drug cartel. Guzmán Loera is serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
No requests to transfer Zambada's case have been filed in Western District of Texas nor Eastern District of New York, court records show.
Zambada has appeared at two federal hearings in El Paso since his arrest Thursday, July 25, by U.S. Marshals at a Dona Ana County private airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, a small town bordering El Paso. Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of "El Chapo" Guzman, was also arrested with Zambada.
More: Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada makes second court appearance since being taken into US custody
In his first hearing, Zambada pleaded not guilty to seven federal charges in connection with his alleged role as a leader in the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel.
He appeared at the second hearing in a wheelchair, looking tired, sick and old. In his second hearing, two issues were discussed, including Zambada waiving any conflict of interest his attorneys may have in the case. The conflict of interest concerns were because his attorneys have represented other Sinaloa drug cartel members in the past.
The second issue was whether Zambada would be tried alongside the other Sinaloa drug cartel members who are named as co-defendants in the case. No decision was made during the hearing.
Zambada's attorneys, Frank A. Perez, a Dallas attorney, and Ray Velarde, an El Paso attorney, declined to comment after the second hearing.
More: Take a look inside the plane that carried alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader 'El Mayo' Zambada
Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada federal charges
Here are the charges Zambada is facing:
Continuing criminal enterprise - murder
Two counts of continuing criminal enterprise
Conspiracy to possess narcotics
Attempt/conspiracy - narcotics - importation/exportation
Laundering of monetary instruments
Conspiracy to possess firearm/drug traffickers and aid and abet
Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada case could move from El Paso to New York
