WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Mexican drug cartel member accused of killing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent Jaime Zapata has been extradited to the United States to face murder charges, U.S. Justice Department officials said Wednesday.
Julian Zapata Espinoza, known as "El Piolin" - or "Tweety Bird" - is in federal custody in Washington.
A federal grand jury in April returned a four-count indictment charging him with murder in the death of Zapata, attempted murder of ICE special agent Victor Avila, one count of a murder and attempted murder of internationally protected persons and one count of using a firearm during the crimes.
The indictment and extradition "reflect the Justice Department's vigorous and determined efforts to seek justice for agents Zapata and Avila," said Lanny Breuer, assistant U.S. attorney general.
Zapata, 32, of Brownsville, Texas, was gunned down Feb. 15.
He and Avila were ambushed while traveling between Mexico City and Monterrey, near San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Avila was wounded.
Zapata Espinoza had been arrested in Mexico in December 2009 on weapons and organized crime charges but was given a conditional release by a federal judge four months later, Mexican officials said.
5 other Zetas arrested
After Zapata Espinoza stopped checking in with parole officers, a judge revoked his release last January, just weeks before the U.S. agents were attacked, but authorities could not locate the fugitive.
Zapata Espinoza was arrested after the ambush and confessed to the shooting death of agent Zapata to Mexican authorities.
The National Defense Secretariat of Mexico said five other Los Zetas drug cartel members also were arrested in connection with the ambush.
Pressure from Obama
Zapata Espinoza was turned over by Mexican authorities to FBI agents at the airport in Veracruz state in Mexico on Tuesday for extradition to the United States.
He was brought before U.S. District Chief Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington, where the indictment was unsealed.
Zapata Espinoza pleaded not guilty to the charges. Lamberth ordered him held without bail and scheduled a hearing for Jan. 25.
The death of Zapata and attempted killing of Avila was an international incident that prompted President Barack Obama to press his counterpart, Felipe Calderón, for extradition during a state visit this year.
Calderón and Mexican officials worked with Justice Department lawyers, the FBI, ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Marshals Service on the investigation.
Houston Chronicle Staff Writer Dudley Althaus in Mexico City and San Antonio Express-News Staff Writer Jason Buch in San Antonio contributed to this report.
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