Mexico has extradited a man believed to be part of a notorious drug cartel to the United States in connection with the murder of Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of another agent, ICE officials said Wednesday. Julian Zapata Espinoza, who goes by the moniker “El Piolin” or Tweety Bird, was arraigned in a U.S. federal court in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. He is believed to be a member of Los Zetas, one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels whose home base is Nuevo Laredo, along the Texas border.
A federal grand jury in the District issued a four count indictment charging him with the murder of Zapata, attempted murder of ICE agent Victor Avila, and using a semi-automatic assault weapon.
ICE Director John Morton said Mexico’s cooperation was an “important step” in achieving justice for the agents. Avila survived several gunshot wounds but Zapata, 32, from Brownsville, Texas, died from his gunshot wounds. The shootings happened on February 15, as the agents were traveling in their SUV along a four-lane highway that connects Mexico City to Monterrey. Both agents were working with the ICE Attache Office in Mexico City. But the ambush occurred in the northern Mexico state of San Luis Potosi.
“The indictment unsealed today, and the successful extradition of Piolin to the United States, reflect the Justice Department’s vigorous and determined efforts to seek justice for Agents Zapata and Avila,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer in a statement released Wednesday. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners in Mexico to hold violent criminals accountable.”
Mexican military officials said Wednesday that Espinoza confessed to killing Zapata. He claimed that members of the Zeta drug cartel mistook the agents’ Chevrolet Suburban for a vehicle from a rival gang, according to the Associated Press.
Bloodshed over drug smuggling routes into the United States has escalated in the past year with Los Zetas openly battling Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel, Sinaloa. The groups are seeking control of the roads in Mexico that connect to the main U.S. highways used to move narcotics and contraband throughout the U.S.
Nearly 45,000 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006 and declared war on the drug cartels. Among those murdered have been two U.S. diplomats, multiple American law enforcement officers, members of Mexican police and military units an thousands of innocent civilians.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said the extradition of Espinoza, reflects “the Justice Department’s vigorous and determined efforts to seek justice for agents Zapata and Avila. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners in Mexico to hold violent criminals accountable.”
Espinoza is the only person named in the four-page indictment. But the document said he was among “others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury” who murdered the agent and wounded his partner. Espinoza is scheduled to make his second appearance in court on Jan. 25.
Sara A. Carter is The Washington Examiner’s national security correspondent. She can be reached at [email protected].
