Reputed Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García appeared Thursday in federal court in El Paso for the first time since his apprehension July 25 in a clandestine operation that also netted Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the infamous Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, at Doña Ana International Jetport.
Zambada went briefly before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse for a scheduled status conference. The 76-year-old was brought into the fourth-floor courtroom in a wheelchair by a U.S. marshal. Zambada was clad in orange shoes, blue pants and a dark blue hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with white lettering and a soccer ball.
He also wore a white bracelet. His face was wan and clean-shaven except for a dark mustache. His dark hair was slicked.
Zambada was fitted with a pair of headphones for translation purposes before the proceedings began. He kept his eyes forward throughout the hearing, turning occasionally to his right to speak to his attorney Frank A. Perez of Dallas.
He also appeared to acknowledge a young man and woman sitting in the courtroom gallery. When Cardone entered the room, Zambada interacted with Perez and was directed to remain seated while all other individuals in the courtroom stood.
Cardone explained to Zambada’s legal team and the prosecution team, which was led Thursday by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Franco Jr., that a potential conflict of interest existed in the case. An attorney on Zambada’s team, Ray Velarde of El Paso, who was present in the courtroom, previously represented Zambada’s son in a Chicago drug case.
Both legal teams asserted that no conflict of interest was present and Velarde’s previous work would have no impact on the case. When asked by Cardone if he was aware of the potential conflict of interest, Zambada replied, “si,” or “yes.”
Perez and Velarde both declined comment outside of the courthouse when approached by reporters.
Security at the courthouse was enhanced in the hours before the afternoon hearing. Bomb-sniffing dogs were led by officers around the perimeter of the building late Thursday morning. Reporters present for the proceedings had to pass through two inspection checkpoints before entering the courtroom. Inside the courtroom, four U.S. marshals were present while more stood guard outside.
At the conclusion of the brief proceedings, Cardone set a subsequent hearing in the case for Sept. 9.
Zambada faces multiple federal charges including continuing criminal enterprise-murder, two counts of continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess narcotics, attempt/conspiracy-narcotics-importation/exportation, laundering of monetary instruments, and conspiracy to possess firearm/drug traffickers and aid and abet.
Zambada has been a key figure in international drug trafficking for decades. As the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, he has helped orchestrate the organization’s extensive operations while managing to evade capture.
Despite multiple indictments in various U.S. jurisdictions for major narcotics violations, Zambada continued to lead the cartel, significantly involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of fentanyl, a drug that has exacerbated the opioid crisis in the United States, the U.S. government has alleged.
The arrest operation that resulted in the capture of Zambada culminated when Guzmán López, 38, surrendered to U.S. authorities after landing in a prop plane in Santa Teresa. Perez has told media that Guzmán López kidnapped Zambada and forced him onto the plane that landed near El Paso, where U.S. authorities were waiting.
After his arrest, Zambada waived his right to be present at his arraignment Wednesday, July 31, and entered a plea of not guilty. He is being held without bond.
Guzmán López, also facing numerous charges, pleaded not guilty to narcotics, money laundering, and firearms charges in federal court in Chicago on Tuesday, July 30, and is currently held without bond.
The arrests are the latest in a series of high-profile captures targeting the leadership of the Sinaloa cartel, including the previous apprehension and conviction of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, who is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison. He is the father of Guzmán López.
The Sinaloa cartel, responsible for trafficking vast amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States, has long been a central player in the global drug trade.