Ecuador Extradites Notorious Gang Leader ‘Fito’ to U.S.; First Appearance Today
Ecuador Extradites Notorious Gang Leader ‘Fito’ to U.S.; First Appearance Today
Quito, Ecuador – In a landmark move, Ecuador on Sunday successfully extradited José Adolfo Macías Villamar, widely known as “Fito,” the notorious leader of the violent Los Choneros gang, to the United States. Macías is scheduled to make his initial appearance today, Monday, before a federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
The extradition follows a U.S. Attorney indictment in April, charging Macías with importing thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States. His transfer from the La Roca Detention Center was overseen by Ecuador’s National Police and Armed Forces, marking a significant development in the fight against organized crime in the region.
Macías’ lawyer, Alexei Schacht, confirmed his client will plead not guilty at today’s hearing. This marks the first time Ecuador has directly extradited one of its citizens to the U.S. for criminal proceedings, underscoring strengthened international cooperation.
Macías, who has led Los Choneros since 2020, is accused of orchestrating a vast drug trafficking network, including smuggling firearms from the U.S. into Ecuador and facilitating cocaine flow to the U.S. with Mexican cartel assistance. He had previously escaped from an Ecuadorian prison last year while serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, organized crime, and murder, but was recaptured in late June.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.