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Headline: Sinaloa Cartel Leader “El Mayo” Zambada’s Sentencing Delayed as Defense Seeks More Evidence

New York, NY – Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a historical leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, has received a reprieve in his sentencing as a New York judge granted his defense team a 90-day extension to gather mitigating evidence. Zambada, who pleaded guilty in August to drug trafficking and engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, saw his original sentencing date of January 12th pushed back to April 13th.

Judge Brian M. Cogan of the Eastern District of New York granted the extension after Zambada’s lawyer, Frank Perez, argued that the ongoing violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, was hindering their ability to contact witnesses and gather information relevant to the case. The defense must now submit its sentencing memorandum and any objections to the pre-sentence report by March 30th, with the government’s response due by April 6th.

Zambada’s guilty plea was secured after a dramatic turn of events. Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the infamous “El Chapo” Guzmán, allegedly kidnapped Zambada in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and turned him over to U.S. authorities in July 2024. Guzmán López, who himself pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on December 1st, admitted to orchestrating the capture. He lured Zambada to a house, where he was subdued, drugged, and flown to the United States.

The power shift within the Sinaloa Cartel triggered by Zambada’s arrest has sparked a bloody internal conflict between the “Mayos” and the “Chapitos” factions, leading to increased violence in Culiacán. The cartel’s weakened state is also being exploited by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which is expanding its influence across the country.

U.S. authorities have lauded the capture and conviction of Guzmán López but remain focused on apprehending his brothers, Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo, who remain at large and for whom a $10 million reward has been offered.

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