Twin Chicago brothers reviled by Mexican cartels but praised by prosecutors as among the most valuable traffickers-turned-informants in recent history are set to be sentenced in a federal courthouse in their hometown amid tight security.
Tuesday will be the first public appearance by Pedro and Margarito Flores since they agreed to spill secrets to U.S. agents about Mexican drug lord, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and a half-dozen of his lieutenants in a nearly $2 billion trafficking franchise that spanned much of North America.
The risk of reprisals to the brothers, now 33, and anyone associated with them is so great even their lawyer’s name has been kept secret. It’s not clear if the attorney will speak in court or if the twins might step up to ask for leniency.
That may be unnecessary. Prosecutors themselves are asking for a remarkably lenient prison term of around 10 years as reward for the twins’ cooperation that led to indictments of Guzman and more than 50 others. With credit for time served, they could be out within a few years.
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Then something triggered U.S. agents’ concern. On Nov. 30, 2008, they gave the brothers two hours’ notice to get out of Mexico. They flew to Chicago with little but the clothing they wore.
But the brothers’ scheming did not stop immediately.
In Chicago, the two sought to squirrel away millions in ill-gotten gains, toying with the idea of burying some of the money, filings say. While in custody, they also managed to purchase a $100,000 Bentley as a gift for Pedro’s wife. They had to give it up when agents learned what they had done.
