Zetas Founding Member 'El Hummer' Extradited to US (Updated)

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat (formerly "MX")

Los Zetas founding member Jaime Gonzalez Duran ("El Hummer") was extradited to the United States from Mexico yesterday.

Although El Hummer was arrested nearly 12 years ago, authorities were unable to extradite him to the U.S. His extradition process began in 2015 and has been filled with motions, suspensions, and delays.

El Hummer is one of the highest-ranking Zetas members to ever be extradited to the US. The highest-ranking Zetas member imprisoned in the U.S. today is Jesus Enrique Rejon Aguilar ("El Mamito"), who was also a founding Zetas member.

Background

El Hummer was a violent cartel leader and is the suspect in the murder of the famous band singer Valentine Elizalde. Known as one of the most bloodthirsty Zetas, he was born in the tiny humble town of Xolmón, in the municipality of Aquismón, San Luis Potosí.  At the time Xolmón had a population of less than 500, all indigenous people.

He joined the Mexican Army as a young adult and was part of the Special Forces Airborne Group (GAFE). He received specialized training by U.S. forces and the Israeli Defense Force.

After seven years of service, he defected and joined the Gulf Cartel under Osiel Cardenas Guillen, becoming one of the first members of its newly formed paramilitary wing, Los Zetas.

Like El Hummer, many of the first members of Los Zetas were ex-military. Los Zetas was responsible for providing security services to Cárdenas Guillén and carrying out executions on the cartel's behalf. Their role in organized crime increased over the years after they became involved in drug trafficking and territory expansion.

El Hummer was the former plaza boss of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, one of the Gulf Cartel's most lucrative turfs. In 2008, he was arrested and has been in prison ever since.

Case

The extradition of El Hummer has been a headache case for Mexican and U.S. officials. From 2008 to 2015, El Hummer was imprisoned in Mexico without a formal extradition request from the U.S.

In November 2015, a federal judge halted his extradition and allowed El Hummer to file an appeal. This action was a surprise for the Mexican Foreign Ministry and the U.S. government because they had already agreed to send him to the U.S., as reported by Borderland Beat.

In March 2019, his extradition was okayed by the Mexican government once again, but El Hummer was able to get a motion approved in May that temporarily halted his extradition, as reported by Borderland Beat. Another Mexican federal judge gave the "green light" to extradite him to the U.S. that November, but this motion was suspended again in 2020.

Update (24/Oct/2022): El Hummer made his first court appearance at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday. He is charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana intending and knowing that those substances would be smuggled into the US. If convicted, El Hummer faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison and up to life imprisonment.

It is worth noting that the most recent high-ranking cartel boss sentenced in the US was Gulf Cartel boss Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez (AKA El Coss), who received life imprisonment in September. El Hummer may be advised by his attorneys to cooperate with and provide cartel intel to US federal authorities for a soother sentence and avoid life in prison.

However, El Hummer was arrested over a decade ago and the information he has on cartels may not be as valuable for US investigators anymore. This may mean that his chances of receiving leniency are likely lower than other Zetas leaders who testified in US courtrooms before him.

Sources: El Diario de Juarez; USDOJ; Borderland Beat archives

Image credit: Special thanks to HEARST for the illustrations.