Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the 77-year-old co-founder of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, is scheduled to change his plea to guilty on Monday before U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn. Prosecutors expect Zambada to admit to racketeering conspiracy and operating a continuing criminal enterprise at a 12:00 p.m. hearing, part of a broader case that consolidates 17 counts tied to importing multi-ton quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States, along with money-laundering and firearms offenses. Federal prosecutors informed the court earlier this month that they will not seek the death penalty, clearing the way for a plea deal that could spare Zambada a lengthy trial and potentially reduce his sentence. Following the hearing, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is slated to hold a 3:00 p.m. news conference in Brooklyn to outline next steps, including a timetable for sentencing and any conditions attached to the agreement. The court could take up to six months to determine the final sentence, depending on Zambada’s cooperation. Zambada was arrested in Texas in July 2024 after evading capture for decades and had initially pleaded not guilty. His plea marks a milestone in U.S. efforts to dismantle the Sinaloa cartel; its other historic leader, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, received a life sentence in the same court in 2019. Securing guilty pleas from both figures gives U.S. authorities fresh leverage as Washington intensifies pressure on cross-border fentanyl trafficking.