El Mayo Sentencing Postponed Again — Now May 18; Defense Cites Mexico Violence

The sentencing of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada García is postponed for the second time — from April 13, 2026 to May 18, 2026 — in Brooklyn federal court. Defense lawyer Frank Pérez cited ongoing violence and instability inside Mexico making it impossible to gather key case documentation. El Mayo, 77, faces mandatory life imprisonment plus a $15 billion forfeiture judgment — one of the largest in US drug trafficking history. The second postponement fuels speculation among legal observers that El Mayo may be providing ongoing cooperation to US prosecutors, with potential implications for the Chapitos' own pending US indictments.