Drug trafficking Chicago twins who flipped on El Chapo and helped put him in prison for life may face ‘new federal charges for crimes committed while behind bars’
- Margarito Flores and his brother Pedro Flores could face new charges for alleged crimes committed during their prison sentence, the Chicago Sun-Times reports
- The twin siblings got 14-year jail terms for providing federal authorities with information that helped them incarcerate Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán
- The Flores brothers admitted to working with El Chapo in trafficking at least 1,500 to 2,000 kilos of cocaine each month from 2005 to 2008
- The siblings told the feds that they sent back over $930 million in cash to El Chapo’s organization in Mexico
Chicago twin brothers who flipped on Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and were key in helping the United States government put him in jail for life may now be facing federal charges for crimes they committed during their prison terms.
Margarito Flores and Pedro Flores caught a break when a judge in 2015 gave each of the drug dealing siblings 14-year prison terms in exchange for flipping on the Sinaloa Cartel kingpin.
However, a federal court filing shows that the 39-year-old twins are once again the subject of a new investigation.
Margarito Flores (pictured) and his twin brother Pedro Flores helped the Unites States government’s investigation into Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. In return, they each received 14-year sentences. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the siblings are part of a new federal investigation stemming from charges that they still managed to carry out crimes while they were in prison. The Flores brothers are currently out on probation
Pedro Flores provided Chicago federal investigators 70 to 80 recordings of conversations that included deals with El Chapo and his network associates. He and his brother, Margarito Flores, reportedly received 1,500 to 2,000 kilos of cocaine each month from El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel and his rival, the Beltrán Leyva Organization.
According to court records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, the Flores brothers can expect ‘to be indicted afresh on new charges stemming from criminal conduct that occurred while they were incarcerated.’
The revelations were made in December by Ralph Meczyk, an attorney for Felipe Cabrera-Sarabia, who in June 2020 was extradited from Mexico to Chicago.
The 50-year-old Cabrera-Sarabia, who is also known as ‘El Ingeniero’ or ‘The Engineer,’ is accused of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin to the U.S., and distribution of heroin.
Meczyk, who did not disclose further details of the Flores brothers’ investigation, said that ‘the government’s two star witnesses and close family members are currently the subject of additional federal investigation likely to result in charges.’
Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman (center) entrusted the leaders of a Chicago drug ring to distribute 1,500 to 2,000 kilos of cocaine between 2005 and 2008
Pedro Flores (left), a former associate of El Chapo (right), testified in front of the founder of the Sinaloa Cartel at a New York federal court in December 2018
A federal indictment in August 2009 showed that the Flores twins reportedly received 1,500 to 2,000 kilos of cocaine each month from El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel and his rival, the Beltrán Leyva Organization.
The drugs were shipped from Colombia to Mexico via planes, boats and submarines before they were smuggled over the Mexico-United States border.
The Flores siblings took approximately half of the cocaine shipment and distributed it in Chicago. The remaining half was sent out to the Ohio cities of Columbus and Cincinnati; Philadelphia; New York; Washington, D.C.; Detroit; and Vancouver, Canada.
As part of their deal with the federal government, Margarito Flores met with El Chapo and his henchmen in northern Mexico in October 2008. In addition, Pedro Flores handed Chicago federal investigators 70 to 80 recordings of conversations that included deals with El Chapo and his network associates.
The brothers also admitted to sending back $930 million to El Chapo’s transnational criminal organization in Mexico.
Pedro Flores testified at El Chapo’s trial in 2018.
The feds seized $4million from the twins, but allowed their families to keep $300,000. The prosecutors believed they hid a lot more money, perhaps to support their families and fund their post-prison lives.
‘The government no longer holds the view that all recoverable proceeds were turned over to the government,’ the court filing indicated.
Margarito Flores and Pedro Flores have been reportedly released from jail on probation, sources told the Chicago-Sun Times.