Since September 14, 2024, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada has been registered with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) under number 27102-511 and held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn)—a facility described as “hell on earth” due to overcrowding, violence, and power outages.
Although sentenced to life imprisonment this Monday, July 20, it remains unknown in which prison the Sinaloa Cartel co-founder will spend the rest of his days.
His lawyer, Frank Pérez, has provided the only public details regarding Zambada’s life in confinement. In an interview with journalist Ángel Hernández from *Milenio*, the Mexican kingpin’s defense attorney described a 76-year-old man who has spent two years in total, 24-hour isolation—without interacting with other inmates—yet is adapting to the situation.
“He reads books and listens to the radio. He hasn’t complained at all. He speaks Spanish but has learned to speak a little English. He is always in high spirits when I meet with him. He is always laughing and chatting,” he told the outlet.
