‘El Chapo’ will be sentenced to life in prison

A U.S. jury has reached a verdict in the drug-trafficking trial of Joaquín “El Chapo ” Guzmán , who rose to fame as Mexico ’s most feared drug kingpin.

Guzman

, 61, was charged with 10 criminal counts, including drug trafficking and engaging in a criminal enterprise as leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel . He was found guilty of all charges.

The 12 jurors began deliberating in federal court in Brooklyn on February 4. His lawyers spoke to the media outside the court;

Guzmán

was accused of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine into the United States as leader of the cartel , named for his home state in northwestern Mexico.

Guzmán

escaped twice from maximum-security Mexican prisons before his final capture in January 2016. He was extradited to the United States a year later.

His defense has argued that Guzmán was set up as a “fall guy” by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada , a drug kingpin from Sinaloa who remains at large. Prosecutors have said Guzmán and Zambada were partners.

More than 50 witnesses testified during the 11-week trial, including 14 former associates of Guzmán who had agreed to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors.

The cooperators , most of whom had pleaded guilty to U.S. drug charges , offered detailed accounts of the Sinaloa Cartel’s inner workings and Guzmán ’s purported role as boss, describing his lavish lifestyle and penchant for murdering his enemies.

El Chapo gifted his employees luxury cars and Rolex watches

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