‘Assassin’ for El Chapo’s drug cartel extradited to U.S. for criminal trial

A high-ranking member, and “assassin,” of El Chapo’s international drug trafficking cartel was extradited from Mexico to the United States to face narcotics-related crimes and firearm charges.

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Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila, also known as Cholo Ivan, 42, made his first appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Monday, April 3, to face multiple charges incurred during his time as a high-ranking member of Sinaloa Cartel from August 2009 to January 2016, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice informed.

Sinaloa Cartel was an international drug trafficking organization that was headed by Joaquin Guzman Loera, or more commonly known as El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada Garcia, or also known as El Mayo.

The cartel garnered international attention for their violent means of manufacturing, importing, and distributing metric tons of cocaine and marijuana from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras to Mexico and then into the United States.

During the cartel’s operations, Gastelum Avila was a “lead sicario, or assassin,” according to the spokesperson. He worked closely with El Chapo as the “plaza boss” for the Mexican city of Guamúchil, Sinaloa.

“In that role, he supervised at least 200 armed men and controlled the drug-trafficking activities in that city and the surrounding area,” the spokesperson said.

Mexican law enforcement agents arrested both Gastelum Avila and El Chapo on January 2016, in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, as they attempted to flee.

In December 2018, a grand jury indicted Gastelum Avila, which prompted U.S. officials to request a provisional arrest from Mexican authorities. As a result, Gastelum Avila remained detained pending his extradition.

On April 1, he was extradited from Mexico to the United States.

Gastelum Avila was charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States. He was also charged with knowingly and intentionally using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm, including a destructive device, during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

The suspect faces a a maximum penalty of life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years for the firearms offense.

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