Latest news with #JoaquinGuzman
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Judge denies request from "El Chapo" to meet with Miami attorney — for now
The world's most notorious drug kingpin, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, sent a handwritten note last month to the federal judge overseeing his case, demanding to meet his Miami attorney. The note, written in Spanish, was sent to U.S. District Court Judge Brian Cogan of the Eastern District of New York, claiming the federal government was keeping him from seeing his new lawyer, Israel Encinosa — a longtime South Florida criminal defense attorney. Encinosa was initially hired by Guzman to represent him on an old criminal case in South Florida. Soon after Encinosa filed his appearance in the Miami case and sought access to Guzman, federal prosecutors dismissed the South Florida charges. Guzman, nevertheless, said he still needs to review other legal matters with Encinosa. Late Thursday afternoon, Judge Cogan issued a memo denying Guzman's request to meet with Encinosa, saying the infamous drug lord needed to file his request with a different court. "The defendant's request is denied without prejudice to his being able to renew it through his lawyer in the relevant forum," Judge Cogan decided in a memorandum released on Thursday. Contacted by CBS News Thursday, Encinosa said he did not want to discuss his efforts to see Guzman. It is not uncommon, however, for attorneys representing violent, high-profile inmates to go through an extensive vetting process before being allowed to meet their clients in prison. Encinosa also represents Jimmy Sabatino, a Brooklyn mobster who stole millions of dollars in diamonds by conning various jewelers into believing he was a record label executive who needed the jewels for upcoming music videos starring Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and other A-list celebrities. Both Guzman and Sabatino have spent more than five years in side-by-side cells — segregated from all other prisoners — in the highest security prison in the United States, the Supermax facility in Florence, Colorado. CBS News Miami reported earlier this year that the two men were asking to be allowed to have recreation time together. That motion was later withdrawn, but the conditions surrounding their confinement remain an issue for both men. Guzman and Sabatino are housed in a special wing of Supermax known as "The Suites." They are not allowed to communicate with any other prisoners and have limited interactions with prison staff. They are also not allowed to speak to anyone outside of prison, except for their attorneys and one or two family members. Guzman had been permitted to speak to his daughters, but a recent report on the Mexican news website Entorno suggests that may have been cut off. In the case of Sabatino, his only family contact is his stepmother. He is allowed to speak to her twice a month for no more than 15 minutes, according to the pleading. The call to his stepmother is monitored by the FBI. The communication restrictions are designed to prevent either man from continuing to run their criminal organizations from inside prison. Sabatino, who federal authorities claim is a member of the Gambino crime family, committed many of his biggest cons while in federal custody in Miami by using smuggled cell phones. And Guzman is believed to have run the Sinaloa cartel while he was in prison in Mexico before his extradition to the United States. In fact, last month, Guzman's son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise in what the government claimed were part of a violent effort to maintain control of his father's drug cartel. Sentencing will take place later this year. El Chapo Guzman was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sabatino is serving a twenty-year prison sentence. The court-ordered restrictions placed on Guzman and Sabatino presented a particularly challenging situation for prison officials in Colorado, who opted to put the two men in their own wing of the prison, isolated from all the other prisoners. "The circumstances of these two specific inmates are unique," attorney Encinosa wrote in his since-withdrawn filing to U.S. District Court Judge Joan Leonard. "They are both considered the most restricted inmates in not just the ADX, but in the entire United States." "By granting this request, the only thing that would change is that Mr. Guzman and Mr. Sabatino would be able to recreate in their enclosed separate cages during the same period of time." "What we are basically asking is that they be allowed to walk and talk together, in separate cages, at the same time," Encinosa told CBS News Miami in March. "They are human beings, they may be flawed individuals, but they should be treated as human beings." At the time it was submitted, the motion to have Guzman and Sabatino take their recreation breaks simultaneously offered a rare, detailed look at what living conditions are like for both Guzman and Sabatino. According to the filing: "There are only four cells in the wing; each 12' x 7' cell is equipped with a bed, desk, bathroom, shower, and a separate recreation cage. Sabatino's cell has a camera equipped with night vision and sound. This subjects Sabatino to 24/7 audio and visual surveillance, which is monitored and recorded by both the [Bureau of Prisons] and the FBI." "The only other inmate on the range is alleged Drug Kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman," the court filing continues. "Mr. Guzman has been housed with [Sabatino] since his arrival [in] Florence in 2019. Before Mr. Guzman's arrival at [Supermax], Mr. Sabatino was alone. Although in separate cells, Mr. Sabatino and Mr. Guzman have communicated freely for over 5 years, day and night, by talking loudly through the doors. As noted above, all conversations are monitored and recorded visually and audibly by both the [Bureau of Prisons] and the FBI." Both Guzman and Sabatino are permitted to leave their cells for a couple of hours a week. Each of their cells connects to a back door that opens into an outdoor caged area. "The cages are individual cages, which do not allow physical contact between inmates," the court filing states. "The cages are below ground level and are surrounded by 4 walls. The only thing visible from the cages is the sky. Since Mr. Sabatino has been in 'The Suites,' he has not gone outside to recreate because he is in poor health, and when alone in the cages there is nothing to do. It is an empty cage roughly the same size as the cell. Mr. Guzman does go outside in the cage to recreate when allowed in order to get fresh air. However, Mr. Guzman has been unable to interact during recreation with anyone since Mr. Sabatino has been unable to go to recreate at the same time as Mr. Guzman due to Mr. Sabatino's court-ordered communication restrictions. It is important to stress that the two cages in 'The Suites' are equipped with individual video cameras and audio recording devices." Sabatino asked to have his recreation time while Guzman takes his. Presumably, this would allow the two men to see each other. "Mr. Guzman is a 67-year-old man who speaks no English, only Spanish," the March filing continued. "He has had a very difficult time acclimating to life in [Supermax] and his severe communication restrictions. Mr. Sabatino is fluent in several languages (Italian, Sicilian, Latin, and Arabic) and speaks some Spanish. Mr. Sabatino's Spanish is good enough to conduct small talk with Mr. Guzman. In reality, Mr. Guzman has learned a little English from Mr. Sabatino. Most importantly, Mr. Sabatino often serves as a translator between the guards and Mr. Guzman. There are not many Spanish-speaking officials at ADX Florence, and Mr. Sabatino is often asked to translate for Mr. Guzman."
Russia Today
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Mexican drug cartel hacked FBI phone to kill informants
A hacker working for Mexico's most powerful drug cartel accessed the phone records and geolocation data of a senior FBI agent assigned to the US Embassy in the country, according to the latest report by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General. The incident took place in 2018, when the FBI was working on a high-profile case gathering evidence against notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman Loera, nicknamed 'El Chapo,' the longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel. The cyber operative hired by the gang also managed to tap into Mexico city's CCTV network, allowing the cartel to monitor the agent's movements and identify individuals he met with, some of whom were later intimidated or killed, the report stated. Under Guzman's leadership, the Sinaloa cartel became the main supplier of drugs to the US, trafficking vast quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and marijuana. Guzman was arrested in Mexico in 2016 and extradited to the US. In 2019, a federal court in Brooklyn sentenced him to life in prison plus 30 years. He is now serving his sentence in ADX Florence, the most secure federal prison in the US. His capture did not bring an end to the cartel; power shifting to other leaders and the flow of drugs north has continued unabated. Recent advances in surveillance technology and their availability to criminal groups and 'less-sophisticated nations' are now viewed as an 'existential' threat by US intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA, the DOJ report stated. After returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has taken a hardline approach toward Mexico's role in the drug trade. In one of his first moves, he designated several Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations — a move that could open the door to expanded military or intelligence operations. Last week, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three Mexican financial institutions accused of laundering cartel money, presumably cutting them off from the American financial system. Trump has also floated the possibility of missile strikes on cartel drug labs inside Mexico. Meanwhile, the CIA is reportedly conducting drone surveillance missions deep into Mexican territory to monitor cartel operations. The policies have strained US–Mexico relations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has criticized the lack of evidence behind some of Washington's actions and warned against violating the country's sovereignty.
Al Jazeera
21-05-2025
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Tigers, jaguars and elephants flee cartel violence in Mexico
For years, exotic pets owned by cartel members – alongside former circus animals – have resided in a modest sanctuary on the outskirts of Sinaloa's capital in Mexico. However, a violent power struggle erupted last year between rival Sinaloa cartel factions, plunging the region into chaos. The Ostok Sanctuary's leaders have faced armed attacks, persistent death threats and a blockade of essential supplies critical to the survival of their 700 animals. This week, aid workers departed Culiacan, transporting the animals across the state in the hope of shielding them from the worst of the violence. Yet, fighting has become so widespread that many fear it will inevitably reach them. The outbreak of violence began eight months ago, when two rival Sinaloa Cartel factions started battling for territory, triggered by the dramatic abduction of one group's leader. He was kidnapped by a son of the infamous Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and later handed over to US authorities by private plane. Since then, fierce clashes between heavily armed factions have become a daily reality for civilians in Culiacan – a city that, until recently, had largely been spared the worst of Mexico's violence due to the Sinaloa Cartel's firm control. Zazueta, the sanctuary's director, said the animals' departure from the city is a further sign of how deeply the conflict has permeated everyday life. During periods of intense violence, sanctuary staff could hear gunfire nearby and the noise of cars and helicopters overhead – sounds that distressed the animals. Cartel fighting regularly prevented staff from reaching the sanctuary, leaving some animals without food for days. As a result, many have begun to lose their fur, and at least two have died, according to Zazueta. Further complicating the situation, an increasing number of rescued animals are abandoned former narco pets, left in remote areas of the state. In one case, a Bengal tiger was found chained in a public square. Rumours persist in Sinaloa and other conflict-ridden regions that cartel bosses dispose of their enemies by feeding them to pet lions. The situation reached breaking point for the Ostok Sanctuary in March, when one of their two elephants, Bireki, injured her foot. Veterinarians sought a specialist in Mexico, the United States and beyond, but none were willing to travel to Culiacan. The sanctuary relocated the animals without public announcement, fearing reprisals from local authorities or the same criminal groups that forced them to flee. They hope the animals will find safety in Mazatlan after years of turmoil.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Son of former Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Chapo' reaches plea deal
CHICAGO – The son of former Mexican Drug Lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has reached a plea deal in his drug trafficking case. A new court filing said Ovidio Guzman Lopez is scheduled to change his plea to guilty at a hearing in Chicago on Wednesday, July 9. Lopez, 34, was arrested in 2023 and extradited to the U.S. where he is awaiting trial. Reported crimes at Chicago Public Libraries on the rise, data shows Lopez and his brother Joaquin are accused of taking over the Sinaloa Cartel after their father's arrest. Both of them face several charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
