Drug Lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada Reportedly Expected to Plead Guilty in Deal With U.S. Prosecutors

Similarly to other Mexican drug lords prosecuted in the United States, a new report suggests that Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel and longtime associate of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, is expected to plead guilty to charges in New York next week.

According to court records, the plea hearing is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Aug. 25 before Judge Brian Cogan of the Eastern District of New York. Zambada is expected to enter a guilty plea as part of an agreement that could reduce his sentence and allow him to become a cooperating witness.

Zambada faces 17 charges in New York, including drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering. Prosecutors allege he played a central role in trafficking fentanyl into the United States, contributing to the rise in overdose deaths in recent years.

According to Los Angeles Times journalist Keegan Hamilton, the Aug. 25 hearing will reveal both the list of charges to which Zambada will plead guilty and the specific terms of his agreement with the Department of Justice.

Zambada's attorney has indicated for months that his client has been willing to plead guilty in order to avoid the death penalty.

"Mr. Zambada doesn't want to go to trial and is willing to accept responsibility for a charge that doesn't carry out the death penalty," attorney Frank Perez told Reuters in February.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department confirmed it would not pursue capital punishment, noting that Attorney General Pam Bondi had authorized and directed prosecutors not to seek the death penalty in Zambada's case.

The decision marks a shift in Zambada's legal strategy, as he had previously pleaded not guilty to charges filed against him in both Texas and New York.

Zambada has been in U.S. custody since July 2024, when he was arrested in Texas alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, his godson and the son of El Chapo.

Days after the arrest, Zambada claimed in a handwritten letter that he had been forced onto an airplane on July 25 by Guzmán López and his gunmen. According to the letter, they flew him to the United States and turned him over to authorities.

"I did not turn myself in, and I did not come voluntarily to the United States. Nor did I have any agreement with either government. To the contrary, I was kidnapped and brought to the U.S. forcibly and against my will," Zambada wrote.

Zambada and his legal team are reportedly following the strategy used by Ovidio Guzmán López, also known as "El Ratón," who pleaded guilty last month to drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms charges.

In exchange, El Ratón reached a deal that could reduce his sentence and provide protection for some family members, in return for intelligence on rival cartels — including the La Mayiza faction, which has been locked in a turf war with Los Chapitos since September 2024.