Drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has requested more outdoor activity — and the federal government believes that could be a ruse to help him escape.
Guzman, 62, is one of the world’s most infamous criminals. He is known for his daring escapes from prisons in Mexico and is now being held at a federal prison in New York awaiting sentencing next month on a litany of charges including drug trafficking and money laundering.
His lawyers said that Guzman is being subjected to “cruel and unusual” prison conditions, contending that he needs access to natural light and fresh air and has had to fashion earplugs out of toilet paper to block out the noise from the prison. The government responded to the request by pointing out Guzman’s past track record of escape and noted that in 1981 there was an attempted jailbreak involving a helicopter at the prison he is being held.
“In this case, any outdoor exercise time would be particularly problematic for this defendant,” the U.S. said.
“The defendant has successfully planned and executed elaborate escapes from two high-security penal institutions. As detailed at trial, one of the defendant’s escapes involved the construction of a sophisticated, ventilated tunnel that stretched for over a mile,” it said. “Certainly, an escape via rooftop, using a helicopter, or any related means would be elementary by comparison.”
Guzman was found guilty in February. His sentencing is scheduled for June 25. He faces life in prison without parole for an organized crime conviction and seven other life sentences for drug-related convictions.
