Three Sinaloa Cartel gangsters who appealed their 2015 convictions for homicide, drug trafficking, kidnapping and weapons offenses didn’t gain much: original sentences of 107 to 185 years in prison were reduced to 77 to 107 years.
Mario León González, Aarón Díaz Hernández and José Luis Hernández Gutiérrez
were handed down new sentences of 107, 97 and 77 years respectively and fines ranging from 12,000 to 19,000 pesos (US $650 to $1,025).
The three took orders from former cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who is awaiting his own trial in a New York jail.
Not in jail and still on the loose are the two Sinaloa Cartel operators who escaped a Culiacán prison a week ago by walking out the front door, armed and wearing prison guard uniforms.
Video footage leaked to journalist Denise Maerker revealed how the two, considered highly dangerous, made their getaway. They had plenty of help.
Surveillance video of their cell shows the two men continually consulting their cell phones — prohibited devices inside the prison — the night of the escape. Later, a guard enters the cell and delivers a black bag containing guards’ uniforms and hand guns.
After changing, one of the prisoners inhales what appears to be cocaine while the other looks up at the surveillance camera and smiles.
A guard arrives and escorts them through several checkpoints. Another guard joins them at the last of these and the four leave the building, board waiting vehicles and drive off toward the city.
Source: Milenio (sp), El Universal (sp)
