The procedural hearing for Ismael Zambada García, known as El Mayo Zambada, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel (CDS), has been postponed for 60 days, or two months, and will now take place on August 25 at noon. This decision was made by Judge Brian Cogan of the Eastern District Court in Brooklyn, New York, who granted the joint request of Department of Justice prosecutors and the drug trafficker’s legal defense team. The hearing was originally scheduled for June 16.
Judge Cogan justified the postponement, stating that it is “mediatory” due to the complexity of the case, which also involves capital punishment. “The government respectfully requests, on behalf of the parties, that the procedural conference, scheduled for June 16, 2025, be postponed for approximately 60 days or until the Court deems it appropriate after that period,” prosecutors stated in the letter sent to the judge.
This document is clear evidence that “El Mayo,” considered the “boss of bosses” of the Sinaloa Cartel, is negotiating a cooperation agreement with the Department of Justice. This possibility had already been mentioned to Cogan by his attorney, Frank Pérez, and representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In the letter to the judge, prosecutors present another sign of the negotiation with “El Mayo.” If Zambada García pleads guilty to the crimes he is charged with, he could avoid trial and the possibility of being sentenced to the death penalty, becoming a protected witness. “As the Court is aware, the parties have exchanged certain discovered materials (evidence) and discussed a potential resolution before trial, which occurs during the procedural time of the case,” the prosecutors emphasized to Judge Cogan.
The fact that both the defense and the prosecution requested the 60-day continuance request made Judge Cogan’s approval almost a given, simply by setting the date for the session in August.
Part of trial preparation procedures involves the Department of Justice presenting to the judge what type of punishment the defendant will be given if convicted at trial. It is for this reason, and because of ongoing negotiations, that the “El Mayo” hearings have been postponed on several occasions.
