Overview

• He faces a mandatory life sentence and a $15 billion forfeiture, with Judge Brian Cogan setting sentencing for Jan. 13, 2026.
• In court, Zambada apologized for the harm caused by illegal drugs and acknowledged that his organization paid bribes to Mexican police and military commanders to operate freely.
• Prosecutors say the Sinaloa cartel under his leadership trafficked massive quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl, enforcing its operations through violence and intimidation.
• He was taken into U.S. custody in July 2024 after landing at a small airstrip near El Paso with Joaquín Guzmán López, an episode his lawyer characterizes as a kidnapping that Guzmán’s representatives dispute.
• Court filings and his attorney indicate no cooperation agreement, and the Justice Department confirmed this month it would not pursue the death penalty.