Former Los Zetas leaders arraigned in federal court after extradition

The former leaders of the Los Zetas cartel were arraigned Friday on a sprawling indictment that includes allegations of multiple murder conspiracies and the largescale trafficking of cocaine and marijuana into the United States.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a news release that Miguel Trevino Morales, 52, also known as Z-40, and Omar Trevino Morales, 48, also known as Z-42, made their first appearance in federal court in Washington D.C. after being extradited to the United States.

The Los Zetas cartel initially formed as the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel before splintering off into its own criminal organization.

“Miguel Trevino Morales allegedly took over leadership of Los Zetas in October 2012 until his arrest by Mexican authorities in 2013, at which point, his brother, Omar Trevino Morales, allegedly assumed primary leadership of the cartel until his arrest by Mexican authorities in 2015,” the release stated.

After their arrests, the brothers renamed Los Zetas to Cartel del Noreste, or CDN, and continued to control the cartel while jailed in Mexico.

Federal prosecutors allege that CDN continued Los Zetas’ drug trafficking activities “and acts of violence including murders, assaults, kidnappings, assassinations, and acts of torture.”

The brothers are each charged with a count of continuing a criminal enterprise; conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana; using a firearm in relation to drug trafficking crimes; and international money laundering conspiracy.

“As part of the continuing criminal enterprise count, the defendants are alleged to have engaged in conspiracies to kill members of the Mexican government, Mexican citizens, members of rival cartels, members of the Guatemalan government, and Guatemalan drug traffickers,” the release stated. “Because the defendants are charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, they face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.”

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