**Primary Article:**
**Chief of Security for ‘El Mayo’ Had 24 Years in Sinaloa Prosecutor’s Office, FGR Conducts Investigations**
**By:** TJGringo Staff
**Date:** August 17, 2024
José Rosario Heras López, whom the infamous Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael Mario Zambada García, also known as “El Mayo” (aged 76), claimed as his chief of security, has been revealed to be an “Investigation Agent” of the Ministerial Police under the Attorney General’s Office of Sinaloa (FGE). Heras López’s affiliation with the FGE spans 24 years, as disclosed by a recently obtained police record.
El Mayo asserted that Heras López was present when he was allegedly captured on July 25, 2024, in Culiacán de Rosales. The celebrated news outlet obtained a copy of Heras López’s police background, illustrating his initial enlistment on July 6, 2000, into Sinaloa’s General Prosecutor’s Office as a ministerial police agent. During that period, Juan Sigifrido Millán Lizárraga served as Governor, and the Sinaloa Prosecutor’s Office fell under the state’s executive branch.
Heras López later advanced to “Investigation Agent” in December 2010 and was subsequently assigned as Commander of the Ministerial Police in the El Salado region—a known territory influenced by El Mayo. This assignment was under Jesus Antonio Aguilar Íñiguez, then-director of the Ministerial Police of Sinaloa.
In a letter from El Mayo, dated August 10, 2024, El Mayo confirmed that Joaquin Guzmán López, “El Güero Moreno” (aged 38), ambushed him in Culiacán de Rosales whilst awaiting a meeting with Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and Hector Melesio Cuen Ojeda. The latter was assassinated during the arrests of significant cartel members on July 25, 2024.
El Mayo described his security detail during the ambush, specifically noting the presence of Heras López, a long-time cadre of his security team. Furthermore, Heras López’s sister reported his disappearance on the day of the incident, which had not been publicly addressed until the confession letter emerged.
Sara Bruna Quiñónez Estrada, the former head of Sinaloa’s Prosecutor’s Office as of August 16, 2024, branded Heras López as a “police officer tarnishing the corporation.” Investigative efforts by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) continue regarding the case, including international procedures conducted in the United States.
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**Secondary Article:**
**Investigation into El Mayo’s Escape Reveals Potential Aviation Misconduct**
In an ongoing probe into the attempted escape of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to the United States, new details emerged. According to investigative journalist Peniley Ramírez, the aircraft used for the escape took off from an agricultural airstrip near Culiacán and evaded radar detection until reaching near El Paso, Texas.
Officials from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) were deployed to New Mexico to conduct further inquiries. However, their efforts faced limitations as they were denied access to video surveillance and were unable to process fingerprints on objects associated with the flight.
Ramírez’s report highlights the discrepancies between the serial number on the plane used and the number initially reported by U.S. authorities. This revelation adds layers of complexity to the FGR’s ongoing investigation into the clandestine operations and personnel involved in El Mayo’s escape attempt.
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Stay tuned to TJGringo.com for more updates and in-depth coverage on this developing story.