El Paso DEA agents played critical role in ‘El Chapo’ trial

Special Agent in Charge of the El Paso DEA Kyle Williamson is calling it ‘a great victory for the DEA and law enforcement all around the world.’

Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years and was ordered to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture on Wednesday. (Watch the full interview with the DEA’s Williamson by clicking the video play icon below.)

“There is a lot of death and destruction, destroyed families, destroyed communities that can be laid at his feet,” Special Agent Williamson said.

El Chapo’s criminal past dates back to the 1970s before becoming the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in the 1980s, but his turf war with the Juarez Cartel in the late 2000s was felt most here in the Borderland.

“It impacted the quality of life,” Special Agent Williamson said. “Just the ability to wake up in the morning and know that you were going to go to bed at night. A lot of the time there were a lot of people who were innocent victims that got caught in the crossfire.”

El Chapo, along with 23 other members of the Sinaloa Cartel, were indicted in El Paso in 2012.

Special Agent Williamson tells ABC-7 several of his agents traveled to New York with evidence to assist with the trial.

Despite El Chapo reportedly heading to Colorado’s Supermax prison, Williamson warns the Sinaloa Cartel is still strong but it does send a strong message to the cartels.

“Though they’re still out there, [El Chapo’s sentencing] is a tremendous victory for us because it does show that you’re not above the law, that you can’t, while you’re in Mexico you can be indicted in the United States, you can be apprehended, extradited and brought to justice.”