Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the notorious alleged co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, pleaded not guilty to U.S. drug charges on Friday after he and a son of a Mexican drug lord were arrested in Texas in a dramatic achievement for U.S. law enforcement that could usher in a seismic shift to Mexico’s criminal landscape.
Court records showed that Zambada directed that a not guilty plea be entered on his behalf, which was accepted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Berton. At an initial court appearance in a Texas courtroom on Friday, Zambada, who is believed to be in his 70s and was in a wheelchair, was read his rights and charges, according to a transcript.
He waived his right to be present at an arraignment next Wednesday. He will be required to appear in person at a status conference next Thursday before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone, who will oversee the rest of the case, the records show.
Zambada’s lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Zambada is accused of being one of the most consequential traffickers in Mexico’s history, having co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. El Chapo, opens new tab, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison.
Both Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of El Chapo, face multiple charges in the United States for funneling huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs into U.S. streets. Fentanyl overdoses have surged to become the leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.
Zambada, now in custody, is due to appear in court in Chicago next week, according to U.S. officials. Joaquín Guzmán López was captured landing in a private plane in the El Paso area on Thursday.
