Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was sentenced to life in prison by Federal Judge Brian M. Cogan on Monday, July 20, during a hearing at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Nearly two years after his arrest, the drug trafficker appeared before the judge at 10:30 a.m. (local time) in what marked his final appearance in a public courtroom.
During the sentencing hearing, it was also determined that U.S. authorities would confiscate a total of $15 billion from him—a figure exceeding the amount imposed on his former partner, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
According to journalist Ángel Hernández, the drug trafficker accepted his sentence and read a letter stating, “I am not here to ask for compassion. I am here to accept responsibility.” Furthermore, “El Mayo” remarked that violence was the only path he had ever learned, and he asked for forgiveness for his actions.
His lawyer, Frank A. Pérez, had previously stated that they did not negotiate with U.S. authorities to provide information on other cases—a position he reaffirmed on Monday, July 20, following the sentencing.
Regarding the request for him to be held in a prison with medical facilities, Judge Brian M. Cogan noted during the hearing that “El Mayo” suffers from mental and physical health issues; consequently, the judge agreed to recommend to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that he be placed in a facility capable of providing such care.
