There is no agreement between the US Prosecutor's Office and former leaders of Los Zetas and they will be put on trial
The Prosecutor's Office rejected the possibility of reaching an agreement that would avoid the judicial process of Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, alias "Z-40" and "Z-42"
The United States Attorney's Office confirmed that it will not negotiate a plea agreement with Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, alias “Z-40” and “Z-42”, former leaders of Los Zetas, so both will face trial on various charges related to organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms crimes.
During a hearing held this Friday in the Federal Court of the District of Columbia, in Washington D.C., the Treviño Morales brothers pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The prosecution made it clear that the case will move toward a trial and rejected the possibility of reaching an agreement that would avoid the judicial process.
The hearing was focused on defining the procedural calendar of one of the most complex cases against former leaders of Mexican organized crime, due to the volume of evidence gathered by US authorities, which includes millions of files and evidentiary material.
According to the proposal presented by the prosecution, formal preparation for the trial would begin in December 2026 with the exchange of motions and the release of evidence. Subsequently, the stage of review of evidence, presentation of experts and collaborating witnesses would be developed, with the intention that the trial can be held once that process is concluded.
For its part, the defense of the Treviño Morales brothers requested more time to review the extensive file, arguing that millions of documents still need to be analyzed.
He even proposed that the trial be postponed until 2029; However, Judge Trevor McFadden indicated that he will not wait for that entire review to be completed before setting a final date.
The judge called a new hearing for September 10, 2026, when it is expected to establish the final calendar of the process and define the trial date.
Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales and Omar Treviño Morales were handed over by Mexico to the United States in February 2025 and face accusations of allegedly directing the criminal structure of Los Zetas and its successor organization, the Northeast Cartel, through drug trafficking activities, money laundering and the use of firearms.
Although they face highly serious charges, the US government had previously reported that it will not seek the death penalty in this case.