Mexico's Caro Quintero pleads not guilty to US drug charges
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NEW YORK - Alleged drug cartel boss Rafael Caro Quintero, who spent decades in prison in Mexico for the murder of a U.S. drug enforcement agent, pleaded not guilty in a U.S. court on Friday to drug trafficking charges that could result in his execution.
Caro Quintero was one of several cartel bosses facing criminal charges in the U.S. the day after being expelled from Mexico. Some were looking at a possible death penalty, as court proceedings commenced.
Lawyers for the defendants accused Mexico of failing to follow legal procedures with forced expulsions.
Caro Quintero pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance on Friday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Levy in Brooklyn.
Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, accused by prosecutors of being a one-time Juarez Cartel boss, was also among the group expelled to the U.S. Like Caro Quintero, he also entered a not guilty plea.
Before entering the plea, Caro Quintero walked slowly as U.S. marshals led him toward the defense table and stood behind him for nearly a minute as they unshackled cuffs around his wrists before he took his seat.
Caro Quintero, sporting thick white hair and wearing a blue shirt over an orange undershirt tucked into beige pants, spoke with his lawyer, Michael Vitaliano, and a Spanish interpreter for several minutes before the proceeding began.
"Buenas tardes, senor, good afternoon," Levy said in both English and Spanish after the case was called.
"Buenas tardes," Caro Quintero replied.
His defense lawyer, Vitaliano, entered the not guilty plea on his behalf.
The White House called Caro Quintero "one of the most evil cartel bosses" on Friday. The statement cited an order issued last month by U.S. President Donald Trump labeling several Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
On Thursday, Mexico's government expelled Caro Quintero and 28 other suspected cartel members as part of its biggest handover in years. Trump had threatened to order 25% tariffs on Mexican goods starting on March 4 over slow progress on stemming fentanyl as well as U.S.-bound migrant flows. REUTERS
