Los Zetas Cartel Leaders Plead Not Guilty To Drug Trafficking Charges As They Face Death Penalty In The U.S.

Two weeks after being extradited to the United States, Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, identified as the two top leaders of the Los Zetas Cartel, appeared before Judge Trevor N. McFadden at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and all other charges they are being accused of.

The brothers, also known as Z-40 and Z-42, respectively, had their first hearing since being extradited from Mexico in an exchange that included 27 other high-profile prisoners wanted in the U.S. due to drug trafficking crimes.

According to investigative journalists Arturo Ángel and Ángel Hernández Díaz, the Treviño Morales brothers are currently facing four charges: organized crime, drug trafficking, possession of firearms and money laundering. They appeared before Judge McFadden with handcuffs on their feet. They could potentially face the death penalty.

As reported by Infobae Mexico, their next hearing has been scheduled for June 13. "Due to the complexity of the evidence, which includes recordings and terabytes of information, the judge rejected any consideration of a speedy trial," Arturo Ángel reported.

Los Zetas were an elite group of former military personnel who defected from the Mexican army and quickly became one of the most important criminal organizations in Mexico during the early 2000s.

The criminal group started working as hired assassins and bodyguards for the Cártel del Golfo. The group was widely known for its violent modus operandi, which included kidnappings, extortions and torture to intimidate other rival organizations. As InSight Crime highlights, Los Zetas were known for their use of state-of-the-art weapons and communications technology. At one point, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considered them to be the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, and violent enforcement group in Mexico.

The group was originally led by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, who then recruited the Treviño Morales brothers in 2003. By 2011, Z-40 and Z-42 were part of Lazcano's inner circle of high-ranking members and after his death in 2012 they took over as the main leaders of Los Zetas.

Despite their success leading Los Zetas, the Treviño Morales brothers had already been behind bars for quite some time before their extraditions in February. Miguel Ángel was captured by Mexican officials in July of 2013 while his brother Z-42 was arrested in March of 2015, although prosecutors argue that they kept on leading the cartel from prison.

Just a few days prior to their hearings, U.S. prosecutors had asked for more time to collect evidence due to the complexity of the case. In their request, they hinted at a possible death penalty for the Treviño Morales brothers in case of being found guilty.

As reported by the outlet, Z-40 and Z-42 will be represented by Clark Birdsall, a Texas lawyer known for negotiating reduced sentences for his clients and who since January forms part of the legal team representing Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, another high-profile drug lord facing trial for drug trafficking and other charges.