A federal judge in New York scheduled the trial of Mexican drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero, cofounder of the extinct Guadalajara Cartel, for March 8, 2027. Caro Quintero faces charges for leading a criminal enterprise and the murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.
Federal Judge Frederic Block ruled this Thursday, during a pretrial hearing at a New York federal court, that Rafael Caro Quintero's trial will start on March 8, 2027. Block also set another pretrial hearing for June 17 at 11:00 local time. In the hearing, following a 23-minute appearance on September 18, prosecutor Francisco Navarro stated the prosecution will present evidence over about four weeks and request an anonymous jury. Caro Quintero's lawyer, Elizabeth Macedonio, said both sides are negotiating a possible resolution without trial, though the government has not offered a plea deal, per Navarro. Caro Quintero, extradited from Mexico with 28 other cartel leaders including Vicente Carrillo Fuentes and the Treviño Morales brothers, faces charges for leading a criminal enterprise, murder—including the kidnapping, torture, and killing of Camarena—, two counts of international narcotics distribution, and illegal firearm use to aid drug trafficking. Conviction could mean life imprisonment.
