On Wednesday, the U.S. government announced that it may pursue the death penalty for Rafael Caro Quintero, an alleged Mexican drug lord, following his unexpected expulsion from Mexico last month to face extensive drug-related charges.
During a hearing at the federal court in Brooklyn, U.S. District Judge Frederic Block inquired whether capital punishment was a potential outcome for the 72-year-old Caro Quintero, who has pleaded not guilty to four charges, including operating a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to import cocaine.
“It is a possibility,” replied prosecutor Saritha Komatireddy. “The decision has not been finalized, but we are currently evaluating our options.”
Judge Block appointed Elizabeth Macedonio, an attorney with expertise in death penalty cases, to assist in Caro Quintero’s defense, alongside trial lawyer Michael Vitaliano.
He set another hearing for June 25 to provide prosecutors with adequate time to determine the appropriate penalty to pursue. They will require approval from Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the death penalty.
Caro Quintero previously served 28 years in a Mexican prison after being convicted for the 1985 murder of former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a case that remains one of the most infamous in Mexico’s drug war history.
He has consistently denied any involvement in the crime and was released in 2013 due to a legal technicality. In 2022, Mexican authorities apprehended him again as the U.S. sought his extradition.
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Last month, Mexican officials expelled Caro Quintero as part of a surprising transfer of 29 alleged drug kingpins to the United States.
The dramatic narrative surrounding the drug lord and the slain DEA agent was prominently featured in Mexico’s 2018 series “Narcos Mexico.”
