### Defense Requests 20-Year Sentence for Genaro García Luna
On September 25, 2024, the defense team for Genaro García Luna, the former head of the now-defunct Federal Public Security Ministry (2006-2012) during Felipe Calderón’s presidency, petitioned Judge Brian M. Cogan of the Eastern District Court of New York for a 20-year prison sentence instead of life imprisonment. This request is detailed in a document obtained by a major news outlet.
César de Castro, García Luna’s legal representative, argued that a 20-year sentence is “extremely significant and substantial” and parallels the time García Luna served as a public official in Mexico. De Castro emphasized the severe conditions García Luna has endured at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York since his arrest in December 2019. According to the lawyer, these harsh conditions should influence the court to reduce his client’s sentence.
De Castro’s defense presented various arguments, asserting that García Luna has lost everything he gained through his career and has had a positive impact on the MCC during his detention. Additionally, García Luna’s wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra Gálvez, submitted a letter detailing their life together and asking the court to consider her husband’s values and resilience.
De Castro warned that a life sentence would create an “unjustified disparity” in sentencing compared to other narcotics-related cases, such as that of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who received a 45-year sentence for his involvement in drug trafficking.
### Secondary Article: U.S. Prosecutors Demand Life Sentence for García Luna
On September 19, 2024, U.S. federal prosecutors led by Breon Peace requested that Judge Brian M. Cogan sentence Genaro García Luna to life imprisonment due to the severity of his crimes. They also asked for a fine of at least five million dollars.
Prosecutors highlighted García Luna’s role in facilitating a significant drug trafficking conspiracy that has caused countless deaths and addictions in both Mexico and the United States. They pointed out that under García Luna’s leadership, the Federal Police aided the Sinaloa Cartel with weapons and protection, significantly enhancing the cartel’s operations.
Peace noted that García Luna’s educational background and stable family environment set him apart from many drug traffickers, thereby increasing the betrayal of public trust. Moreover, prosecutors claimed García Luna has shown no remorse, continuing to commit crimes even while in custody by attempting to obstruct justice through bribery.
García Luna, detained at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in December 2019, faces several charges, including continuous criminal enterprise, international cocaine distribution conspiracy, and making false statements.
For more on this developing story, stay tuned to TJGringo.com.