via... nafbpo.org/ https://facebook/NationalAssociationOfFormerBorderPatrolOfficers?fref=t CONCORD, N.H. - Federal prosecutors in New Hampshire are preparing to try three men linked to a notorious Mexican drug cartel on charges of conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms of cocaine in a case that spans the globe. Manuel Jesus Guttierez Guzman, Rafael Humberto Celaya Valenzuela and Samuel Zazueta Valenzuela were arrested in the port city of Algeciras, Spain, 13 months ago. Prosecutors say they are members of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel based in Mexico. Zazueta Valenzuela fought extradition and is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Concord on Tuesday for the first time after being flown from Spain over the weekend. A fourth defendant arrested in Spain, Jesus Soto, will be tried separately. U.S. District Judge Joseph LaPlante tentatively scheduled the trial to begin in early December after hearing arguments last week from lawyers for Guzman and Celaya Valenzuela that the cases should be tried separately. LaPlante signaled that he is reluctant to sever the cases. "The law presumes that co-conspirators will be tried together," he told the lawyers. Three others named in the indictment remain at large, including Joaquin Guzman-Loera - known as "el Chapo" - the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 12:59:16 +0000