Ex-Mexican security chief gets 38 years for cartel ties
Genaro Garcia Luna‚ Mexicos former top security official was sentenced to over 38 years in US prison. He was found guilty of taking bribes from drug cartels he was supposed to fight against
In a shocking turn of events‚ Genaro Garcia Luna Mexicos ex-security chief‚ received a 38-year prison sentence in the US. The verdict‚ handed down on 10/16/2024‚ marks the end of a long legal battle that began with his arrest roughly five years ago
Judge Brian Cogan‚ presiding over the Brooklyn federal court‚ announced the 460-month sentence. While acknowledging Garcia Lunas efforts in teaching fellow inmates‚ Cogan didnt mince words: “Aside from your very pleasant demeanor and your articulateness you have the same kind of thuggishness as El Chapo‚ it just manifests itself differently“
Prosecutors had pushed for a life sentence‚ citing Garcia Lunas acceptance of millions in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel (once led by the infamous El Chapo). In exchange‚ they argued‚ he shielded cartel members from arrest and protected cocaine shipments
Garcia Luna‚ who served as Mexicos public security minister from 06 to 12‚ maintained his innocence throughout the trial. “I have not committed any of these crimes“ he stated in court‚ claiming that both the Mexican government and criminal groups had smeared his reputation
His defense team suggested a shorter sentence‚ pointing out that he had already spent nearly five years in jail since his 2019 arrest. They argued that former Sinaloa Cartel members who testified against Garcia Luna had falsely implicated him to reduce their own sentences
I have not committed any of these crimes
Its worth noting that Joaquin Guzman Loera‚ better known as El Chapo‚ is currently serving a life sentence in a Colorado maximum-security prison following his conviction on drug charges about five years ago
The case serves as a stark reminder of the complex web of corruption that often entangles high-level officials in the ongoing fight against drug cartels
