The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of a Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, was this week t in Virginia on charges related to her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.
Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was arrested at Dulles International Airport. She is scheduled to make her initial appearance in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via video conference.
According to court documents, Aispuro is charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana for importation into the U.S. Additionally, Coronel Aispuro is alleged to have conspired with others to assist Guzman in his July 11, 2015 escape from Altiplano prison, located in Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico. After Guzman was re-arrested in Mexico in January 2016, Coronel Aispuro is alleged to have engaged in planning yet another prison escape with others prior to Guzman’s extradition to the U.S. in January 2017.
Citing a former high-ranking cartel member who became a cooperating witness, an FBI agent alleged in the documents that Coronel Aispuro helped organize the construction of a 1,600-yard tunnel beneath the maximum security prison, Altiplano. The tunnel included ventilation ducts, stairs and a motorbike on rails.
Emma appeard on the reality TV show “Cartel Crew”, which she did for Season 2, but now it looks highly unlikely she’ll be back.
The former cartel member also participated in the plot, which was executed successfully on July 11, 2015, the documents say.
After Guzmán was caught six months later and sent back to Altiplano, Coronel Aispuro allegedly paid the former cartel member roughly $1 million to help execute another escape.
When Guzmán was moved to another prison, Coronel allegedly told the cartel member that $2 million in bribes had been paid to a Mexican prison official to get El Chapo transferred back to Altiplano.
A lawyer for Coronel Aispuro , Jeffrey Lichtman, confirmed that he is representing her but declined to comment on these charges
Guzman Loera was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of New York in 2019 for his role as a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.
In the Virginia arrest, Cornel Aispuro is charged in a one count criminal complaint with a conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and 500 grams or more of methamphetamines for unlawful importation into the U.S.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Anthony Nardozzi and Trial Attorney Kate Wagner of the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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