Sajid Emilio Quintero Navidad, alias “El Nito,” has pleaded guilty in a federal court in the District of Columbia, United States, to participating in a drug trafficking network that shipped large quantities of cocaine to the United States and to money laundering operations linked to the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. During the hearing, the defendant, identified as one of the closest operatives of that criminal organization, admitted to coordinating the transport of shipments from South America and conspiring to distribute drugs on U.S. soil. He also admitted to bribing Mexican officials to facilitate these illicit activities.
The guilty plea was entered on February 5, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb and places “El Nito” in front of a possible sentence ranging from many years in prison to life imprisonment, depending on the sentence determined by the U.S. court.
“El Nito” was part of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel’s operations, where he played a strategic role in the logistics of cocaine trafficking to the United States, including land routes and coordination with criminal partners in South America. His cooperation with authorities by pleading guilty could influence a reduction in his sentence or lead to additional plea agreements, although this will depend on negotiations between prosecutors and the defense.
