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Emma Coronel Esboro, 31, filed her case in federal court in Washington nearly two years after Guzman was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for her involvement in an ongoing criminal enterprise as well as drug and firearms smuggling charges as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. .
Coronel, a former fashion beauty queen, wore a green prison uniform with her white face covered on Thursday when she told US District Judge Rudolph Contreras that she understood and agreed to a plea agreement.
Her attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, said before the hearing that Coronel – who married Guzman in 2007 – had hoped to one day return to their twin daughters.
“This is a purely calling agreement,” Lichtman said. “She’s happy to take on the responsibility… (to go on with her life).”
Coronel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine to import into the United States. conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; and engaging in transactions and dealings with a significant foreign drug smuggling organization.
“The defendant aided and abetted the goals of the Sinaloa Cartel,” Anthony Nardozzi, the Justice Department’s deputy head of litigation told the court.
“It allowed Guzmán to resume his leadership role in the Sinaloa Cartel and in doing so strengthened the cartel’s drug trade.”
At the time of her arrest, the complaint referred to her alleged involvement in Guzmán’s 2015 escape from a Mexican prison.
Guzman, who previously ran the Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted on 10 counts including engaging in an ongoing criminal act, conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, international distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs, and use of firearms. Sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years, he is currently being held at Supermax Prison in Colorado.
At Guzmán’s trial, a cooperating witness testified that Coronel and others worked together to coordinate the details of Guzmán’s latest escape from prison in Mexico and that Coronel often passed messages from Guzmán in prison to the others. .
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