Overview

• A court order set Aug. 25 in the Eastern District of New York as a change-of-plea hearing before Judge Brian M. Cogan.
• The filing does not disclose plea terms, and Zambada still faces 17 counts spanning drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons offenses and murder allegations.
• The expected plea will avert a public trial and could, depending on the agreement, reduce sentencing exposure or involve cooperation with U.S. authorities.
• Prosecutor Joseph Nocella Jr. notified the court on Aug. 5 that the government will not seek the death penalty, with similar notices filed for Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.
• Zambada entered U.S. custody after a July 25, 2024 private flight to the El Paso area—a transfer he claims was coerced by Joaquín Guzmán López—and key details of the deal remain undisclosed.