February 21, 2023, 21:02 PM
February 21, 2023, 21:02 PM
The former Secretary of Public Security of Mexico Genaro García Luna was found guilty on Tuesday of five crimes, four of them linked to drug trafficking.
All 12 jurors in the Federal Court for the Eastern District of New York pointed it out unanimously as responsible for all charges.
Judge Brian Cogan -who also sentenced Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán- will issue the sentence on June 27 Garcia Luna, 54 years old.
Among the crimes attributed to him, one is more serious than the rest:
- Participate in the management of a criminal enterprise that continues its activity.
The minimum sentence for this charge is 20 years in prison and the maximum life sentenceaccording to the penal code.
Three other crimes of which he was found guilty are:
- Conspiracy for the international distribution of cocaine.
- Conspiracy to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
- Conspiracy to import cocaine.
Each of them is punished with between 10 years in prison and life imprisonment.
And to the previous four is added a less serious charge:
- Giving false testimony to US authorities.
The former Secretary of Public Safety was found guilty of lying about his past criminal activities when he applied for US citizenship in 2018.
The maximum sentence for this charge is 5 years in jail.
With this, The minimum sentence he will face is 20 years and the maximum is life imprisonment.the same range that is contemplated for the most serious crime of the five that are attributed to it.
Analysts believe it likely that on June 27 the convicted person will be sentenced to spend most or all of the rest of his life in jail, either with a sentence that imposes an exorbitant number of years or life imprisonment.
From the public administration to the narco
García Luna worked in the intelligence corps for a decade and headed the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI), in charge of fighting organized crimeduring the government of Vicente Fox (2000-2006).
He was also Secretary of Public Security during the six-year term of Felipe Calderón (2006-2012).
According to the information collected by the US government and exposed in the trial, García Luna turned to crime in January 2001. by becoming member of the cartel from sinaloa.
“García Luna, a trusted public servant, used his official position to help this violent drug cartel in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes,” Homeland Security Special Agent in New York Iván J. Arvelo said after the verdict. Tuesday.
The jury determined as a proven fact that between 2001 and 2012 the former Mexican official accepted money to facilitate the entry of tons of cocaine that Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s cartel introduced into the US.
According to what was presented in the trial, García Luna agreed not to interfere in drug shipments, reveal information to traffickers on enforcement operations, removing members of rival cartels, and placing other corrupt officials in positions of power.
In the judicial process, 27 testimonies were presented, the majority by the Prosecutor’s Office, including those of well-known figures related to drug trafficking such as Jesús “El Rey” Zambada” and Sergio Villarreal Barragán, alias el Grande.
Prosecutors also stated during the trial that García Luna had lived in Florida since 2012 and had traveled frequently to Mexico since then.
His arrest occurred in Dallas (Texas, USA) in December 2019 and he remained in jail from then until the start of the litigation on January 17.
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