A man known in Florida and elsewhere as El Chapo may soon face a number of drug charges in the United States. He has been accused of federal drug trafficking in a number of cities, including Miami. He was first charged by a federal grand jury in 1995 and has been accused of heading a drug cartel that has committed illicit activities throughout the nation.
El Chapo is thought to have had more than 20 others working with him in a drug ring that allegedly distributed cocaine back and forth from the West to East Coasts of the United States. Law enforcements agents claim that his cartel is responsible for making billions of dollars worth of the drug available on the streets. He is currently being held in Mexico; however, proceedings recently began to extradite him to the United States.
It remains to be seen whether the alleged drug kingpin will challenge the extradition. Those connected to the case have reported that if he is indeed extradited, it will lead to one of the largest federal drug trials the United States has had in years. Some have speculated that the federal government will have to agree not to subject El Chapo to the death penalty in order for the Mexican government to approve the extradition.
Recently, New York prosecutors consolidated various federal drug trafficking charges against El Chapo with another case pending in Florida. It has not yet been determined when or where a federal trial will take place once the extradition process is complete. In such circumstances, the ability to challenge various aspects of the charges one is facing and crafting a strong defense are keys to obtaining a positive outcome in court. In order to determine what options might be available as a defense, a person accused of drug crimes can contact an experienced criminal lawyer for consultation.
Source: The New York Times, “El Chapo Faces Array of Drug Charges in United States“, Eric Lichtblau, Jan. 10, 2016
