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Zetas Drug Cartel Members Convicted Of Murdering ICE Agent

Two members of the Zetas drug cartel have been convicted of murdering a U.S. federal law enforcement agent in Mexico.

The two men join five more gangmembers who have now been convicted for the murder of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata in 2011. Zapata and his partner agent Victor Avila were driving an armored SUV toward Mexico City when the Zetas encountered them on a highway.

Prosecutors said Jose Emmanuel Garcia and Jesus Ivan Quezada worked for the Zetas murder ring and were trying to steal vehicles for the Zetas when they targeted the agents’ SUV.

More than 90 shell casings were found at the murder scene. Both men were convicted of four counts each including murder and attempted murder.

Fronteras Desk senior editor Michel Marizco is an award-winning investigative reporter based in Flagstaff.