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El Chapo Faces Array of Drug Charges in United States El Chapo Faces Array of Drug Charges in United States
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Back in 1995, a federal grand jury in San Diego charged a little-known Mexican drug trafficker named Joaquín Guzmán Loera and 22 underlings with creating a cocaine ring that stretched from Southern California to New Jersey. WASHINGTON — In 1995, a federal grand jury in San Diego charged a little-known Mexican drug trafficker named Joaquín Guzmán Loera and 22 underlings with creating a cocaine ring that stretched from Southern California to New Jersey.
Over the next two decades, as Mr. Guzmán’s infamy grew and he became known simply by his nickname — El Chapo, or “Shorty” — the American authorities would charge him seven more times in courtrooms in Brooklyn, Chicago, Miami and other cities where his sprawling drug network had wreaked havoc. Over the next two decades, as Mr. Guzmán’s infamy grew and he became known simply by his nickname — El Chapo, or Shorty — the American authorities would charge him seven more times in courtrooms in Brooklyn, Chicago, Miami and other cities where his sprawling drug network had wreaked havoc.
Prosecutors argued that his network moved hundreds of thousands of pounds of cocaine — worth billions of dollars — onto American streets.Prosecutors argued that his network moved hundreds of thousands of pounds of cocaine — worth billions of dollars — onto American streets.
But despite multiple requests by the United States for Mexico to extradite him, the elusive kingpin still has never set foot in an American courtroom. Despite multiple requests by the United States for Mexico to extradite him, the elusive kingpin has never set foot in an American courtroom.
With his capture in Mexico, however, that may change, as the Mexican authorities signaled more strongly than ever this weekend that they might be willing to send him to the United States to face drug charges after his prison escape last summer. That escape humiliated the Mexican authorities and raised questions about whether his incarceration there could be guaranteed. But that soon might change. On Sunday night, two days after his capture in Mexico, the Mexican authorities began formal extradition proceedings to send him to the United States to face drug charges. His escape from prison last summer humiliated the Mexican authorities and raised questions about whether his incarceration there could be guaranteed.
The possibility of extradition sets up the prospect of one of the biggest federal trials in the United States in recent years. Mr. Guzmán would join a rogue’s gallery of drug and mob figures who have stood trial in an American courtroom. Among them, Al Capone, convicted of tax evasion in Chicago in 1931; Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, the former dictator of Panama convicted on drug and racketeering charges in Miami in 1992; and James Bulger, known as Whitey, convicted of murder and racketeering in Boston in 2013. Assuming that Mr. Guzmán either does not challenge extradition or challenges it and loses, Mexico’s move sets up the prospect of one of the biggest federal trials in the United States in recent years. Mr. Guzmán would join a rogue’s gallery of drug and mob figures who have stood trial in an American courtroom. Among them, Al Capone, convicted of tax evasion in Chicago in 1931; Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, the former dictator of Panama, convicted on drug and racketeering charges in Miami in 1992; and James Bulger, known as Whitey, convicted of murder and racketeering in Boston in 2013.
For Mexico to agree to extradite Mr. Guzmán, the United States would most likely have to agree not to prosecute him on capital charges that could subject him to the death penalty. Mexico does not have a death penalty and, as a matter of policy, does not extradite defendants who could face it in another country.For Mexico to agree to extradite Mr. Guzmán, the United States would most likely have to agree not to prosecute him on capital charges that could subject him to the death penalty. Mexico does not have a death penalty and, as a matter of policy, does not extradite defendants who could face it in another country.
With charges brought in numerous jurisdictions in the United States, another key question is where Mr. Guzmán would be tried. One possibility, officials said, would be to try him in the eastern district of New York in Brooklyn — not only because he was indicted there, but also because Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch was the United States attorney when the charges were brought. With charges brought in numerous jurisdictions in the United States, another key question is where Mr. Guzmán would be tried. One possibility, officials said, would be to try him in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn — not only because he was indicted there, but also because Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch was the United States attorney in Brooklyn when the charges were brought.
And she would be the one to ultimately decide where he would be tried.And she would be the one to ultimately decide where he would be tried.
Mexico’s apparent willingness to send Mr. Guzmán to the United States marks a sharp change in posture. The Mexican attorney general’s office said in a statement on Sunday night that Mr. Guzmán was told that two arrest warrants from the United States were being processed. That notification formally begins extradition proceedings, and marks a sharp change in posture.
In the past, Mexican officials have been openly dismissive of the idea, and just one year ago, before Mr. Guzmán’s escape, officials suggested he would never serve time in the United States. In the past, Mexican officials have been openly dismissive of the idea, and just one year ago, before Mr. Guzmán’s escape, officials suggested that he would never serve time in the United States.
“El Chapo must stay here to complete his sentence, and then I will extradite him,” then-attorney general Jesús Murillo Karam said in January 2015. “So about 300 or 400 years later — it will be awhile.” “El Chapo must stay here to complete his sentence, and then I will extradite him,” Jesús Murillo Karam, then the attorney general, said in January 2015. “So about 300 or 400 years later — it will be a while.”
But United States officials said that the level of cooperation has improved dramatically in recent months — in no small part, they suggest, because of the fallout from Mr. Guzmán’s escape. But United States officials said the level of cooperation had improved dramatically in recent months — in no small part, they suggest, because of the fallout from Mr. Guzmán’s escape.
Ms. Lynch has now met twice with Mexico’s current attorney general, Arely Gómez González, in discussions that she called historic. And in September, Mexico agreed to extradite several high-level fugitives, including Edgar “La Barbie” Valdez, to the United States. Ms. Lynch has now met twice with Mexico’s current attorney general, Arely Gómez González, in discussions that she called historic. And in September, Mexico agreed to extradite several high-level fugitives, including Edgar (La Barbie) Valdez, to the United States.
“There’s a different mind-set,” the Justice Department official said.“There’s a different mind-set,” the Justice Department official said.
The prospect of Mr. Guzmán’s extradition to the United States “is a very big deal,” said Michael Braun, who oversaw numerous Guzmán investigations as the head of operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration until his retirement in 2008. Mr. Guzmán’s extradition to the United States would be “a very big deal,” said Michael Braun, who oversaw numerous Guzmán investigations as the head of operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration until his retirement in 2008.
After Mr. Guzmán’s escape, the Nieto administration “simply can’t afford another embarrassing situation. They’ve got to get rid of this guy as quickly as they can,” Mr. Braun said. After Mr. Guzmán’s escape, the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto “simply can’t afford another embarrassing situation. They’ve got to get rid of this guy as quickly as they can,” Mr. Braun said.
Initial charges in Brooklyn against Mr. Guzmán and several associates were brought in 2009. More recently, when Ms. Lynch was in charge of the office, prosecutors in Brooklyn consolidated the charges against him with another pending case in Florida.Initial charges in Brooklyn against Mr. Guzmán and several associates were brought in 2009. More recently, when Ms. Lynch was in charge of the office, prosecutors in Brooklyn consolidated the charges against him with another pending case in Florida.
Their joint indictment charged Mr. Guzmán and another suspected leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada García, with distributing more than 500 tons of cocaine in the United States since the late 1980s. It also charged them with distribution of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.Their joint indictment charged Mr. Guzmán and another suspected leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada García, with distributing more than 500 tons of cocaine in the United States since the late 1980s. It also charged them with distribution of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.
Prosecutors believe the cartel may have been the biggest supplier of cocaine to the New York City area for a decade or longer. Prosecutors believe that the cartel may have been the biggest supplier of cocaine to the New York City area for a decade or longer.
In their most recent indictment of Mr. Guzmán and Mr. García, prosecutors listed 163 separate counts of distribution of cocaine in the United States, ranging from 234 kilograms to as much as 23,000 kilos.In their most recent indictment of Mr. Guzmán and Mr. García, prosecutors listed 163 separate counts of distribution of cocaine in the United States, ranging from 234 kilograms to as much as 23,000 kilos.
The indictment also said that leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel conspired to kill or arrange the killings of several people, including Mexican police and military officers and elected officials. They also conspired to have members of competing drug trafficking organizations killed, the indictment said.