Former Mexican security chief convicted of drug trafficking will stay behind bars as judge rejects plea

A New York judge has rejected a request for a new trial for Genaro García Luna, Mexico's former Secretary of Public Security, who was convicted of drug trafficking in February of 2023.

The original request by defense lawyer César de Castro's included evidence of an alleged plot among inmates to falsely testify against García Luna. Federal prosecutors countered this claim with new evidence, which the judge considered in his decision.

Judge Brian Cogan stated that the arguments put forward by the defense team did not justify such a request, highlighting instead an attempt by García Luna to bribe a witness with amounts ranging from $500,000 to $2 million to fabricate favorable testimony.

The defense also included public information on García Luna's commendations for his work in Mexico and his collaboration with U.S. agencies, including the DEA. However, Judge Cogan dismissed this evidence, deeming it an attempt to mislead the jury by presenting irrelevant commendations which did not address the central issue of whether García Luna was deceiving U.S. authorities while accepting bribes from cartels.

In a 16-page document, the judge Cogan outlined his ruling, detailing that García Luna had planned to involve another inmate to corroborate a testimony despite having no connection to García Luna's case. The document specified that García Luna had disclosed to one witness his intent to have another inmate support Mejía's false affidavit.

García Luna's sentencing remains scheduled for October 9, with no further opportunities for the defense to present additional arguments.

García Luna was found guilty of drug trafficking, leading a criminal organization, and lying to U.S. immigration authorities to obtain a Green Card and later citizenship. He now faces a minimum sentence of 20 years or potentially life imprisonment. He is currently held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Brooklyn, where he has been detained since his arrest in December 2019 in Dallas, Texas.