Sinaloa Cartel Leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Gets Life Sentence plus 30 Years

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El Chapo
Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the leader of the Mexican organized crime syndicate known as the Sinaloa Cartel, receive a sentence of life imprisonment plus 30 years. The Court also ordered him to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture.

In February, a federal jury convicted El Chapo of all counts of the superseding indictment against him including narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.

During a three-month trial, prosecutors presented evidences proving that El Chapo was the principal leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. The evidences included seized narcotics (over 130,000 kilograms of cocaine and heroin), weapons such as AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenade launcher, ledgers, text messages, videos, photographs and intercepted recordings detailing the drug trafficking activities of El Chapo and his co-conspirators. In addition, 14 cooperating witnesses including Sinaloa Cartel members testified during the trial.

Through the evidences, prosecutors highlighted how El Chapo and his cartel transported illegal drugs into the U.S. and laundered billions of dollars of drug proceeds. They also demonstrated that he maintained the cartel’s power in the region and beyond by using violence He also bribed corrupt government officials and employees to protect the interest of the cartel.