Authorities informed Caro Quintero that there is no offer of a plea deal that would prevent him from standing trial.
A U.S. judge has set March 8, 2027, as the tentative start date for the trial of Rafael Caro Quintero—founder and former leader of the Guadalajara Cartel—on charges related to drug trafficking and organized crime.
During a status hearing for the case against the Mexican national, it was reported that no plea bargain offer is currently on the table for Caro Quintero that would allow him to avoid going to trial; furthermore, it is likely that his nephew and co-defendant in the same case, Ismael Quintero Arellanes, will be tried alongside him.
The U.S. prosecution had sought to have the trial begin late this year; however, the lawyers for “El R1″—as he was known in the criminal underworld—explained that a postponement was necessary due to other pending trials in other courts.
**What was the court appearance like?**
Caro Quintero appeared in court just as he has on previous occasions: wearing a beige prison jumpsuit over an orange T-shirt. During the hearing, it was confirmed that the Special Administrative Measures governing his confinement had been renewed for another year.
These measures entail solitary confinement and prohibit him from having contact with family members or anyone other than his legal counsel.
Francisco Navarro, the lead prosecutor on the case, addressed the court during the hearing to request that a start date be set for the trial. The charges stem from organized crime, drug trafficking, and firearms possession, as well as the kidnapping, torture, and murder of former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique Camarena Salazar.
Navarro noted that the U.S. government shutdown had delayed the production of evidence against Caro Quintero—including recordings of the torture inflicted upon Camarena Salazar—and had also hindered both the prosecution’s and the defense’s preparations for the trial. The prosecutor confirmed that the trial is currently expected to last four weeks.
**When is Caro Quintero’s next court hearing?** As part of the proceedings, it was established that both Caro Quintero and his nephew, Quintero Arellanes, must return to court on June 17 to continue with the preparations.
What is Rafael Caro Quintero accused of?
The accused is the last of the iconic Mexican drug kingpins—belonging to that 1980s generation that marked the beginning of the country’s history of drug trafficking—and is therefore charged with drug trafficking and the murder of an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The Kiki Camarena Case
He faces the historic accusation of being responsible for the murder of American agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena—the DEA agent who successfully infiltrated the cartel’s ranks and who, upon being discovered, was kidnapped by Félix Gallardo and murdered in 1985.
The event that triggered the decline of the Guadalajara Cartel was the discovery of the *El Búfalo* ranch in 1984. Owned by Caro and located between the Chihuahua municipalities of Jiménez and Camargo, the ranch was the site where 450 Mexican Army soldiers discovered and destroyed eight thousand tons of marijuana—an event that ultimately precipitated the cartel’s downfall.
A telephone call with his partner, Sara Cosío, was intercepted by the DEA, leading to the discovery of his whereabouts; he was subsequently apprehended and taken to the United States.
He was later extradited to Mexico, where, in 1989, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the crimes of kidnapping, aggravated homicide, the planting, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and trafficking of marijuana, the supply of cocaine, and criminal association.
Source: Milenio
Discover more from Cartel Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
