By Lucio R. Borderland Beat
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Jorge Costilla-Sanchez, also known as “El Coss,” was escorted by federal police and armored vehicles to a Brownsville Texas federal courthouse Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking and distribution, money laundering and threatening federal officers in a 1999 incident. Security was tight in and around the courthouse including the closures of streets adjacent to the court. He was flown from San Antonio via helicopter to Brownsville for the hearing. His attorney, Ed Cyganiewicz, has represented Coss for three years, however only bring able to speak to him via telephone while he was in Mexican custody. Thursday morning at the courthouse was the first time they had met in person. He said the extradition was so secretive, that he was not given notice that his client was being extradited on Wednesday.
Cyganiewicz said his client has agreed to extradition to the United States for two years. ExplainingthatCosshas more faith in the U.S. judicial system, saying he considers it safer.
In the November 1999 incident, FBI agents, Joe DuBois and agent, Daniel Fuentes were in Tamaulipas Mexico to meet with an informer. Cartel del Golfo (CDG) leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén. was tipped off about the meeting and whereabouts of the agents. He along withheavily armed men in a 6 vehicle convoy, including the former Matamoros policeman, El Coss, set out to find the agents.
The agents saw they were being tailed and called the municipal police for help. Help never came for all intents and purpose, as the municipal police followed the group but never exited their vehicles.
The agents, who then had the informer in their vehicle, were forcibly stopped by the CDG group.
Osiel, wearing a Colt pistol with a gold grip and holding a gold-plated AK-47, emerged and demanded the agents hand over the informant,this while El Coss and others had AK47 rifles pointed at them.
The agents refused.
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| Coss (Mexican Arrest) |
Agent Fuentes describes what happened next:
“Fuentes and DuBois, now surrounded by 12 to 15 people, identified themselves with their diplomatic passports. "There was a lot of yelling, a lot of cussing," Fuentes said, "Then Osiel was coming to my window. Was I afraid?”
“Absolutely."
"Your body does weird stuff when you enter a crisis situation, all senses are heightened" continued Fuentes. He said he could even see the scratches on the gun that Osiel was pointing at him.
He said in that short period of time, he felt like all his senses were heightened. "Your body does weird stuff when you enter a crisis situation," said Fuentes. He said he could even see the scratches on the gun that Cárdenas was pointing at him.
To dissuade Osiel from shooting them, Fuentes and DuBois showed their FBI credentials, but he said Osiel just grinned and said he didn't care. Fuentes said he had a shot, but less than a foot of clearance.
The men raised their guns to fire on several occasions After a tense standoff, Agent Dubois is the one given credit for some quick talking, asking Osiel if he really needed the grief that would befall in the aftermath of killing two US federal agents.
Agent DuBois says, "I told him, 'Think it over, man. There is no way that you will be able to hide anywhere. They are going to come get you,'" DuBois mentioning that the DEA launched a massive manhunt after agent Enrique"Kiki" Camarena was killed by Mexican drug traffickers in 1985.
Finally, Osiel (at left) had the agents and informant were escorted out of Matamoros with a warning not to return to the city.
According to Fuentes, Osiel said he regrets not killing him and DuBois in Matamoros that day.
Both Osiel and El Coss eventually were captured, extradited and became inmates in U.S. custody.
In February 2010, in the same Brownsville courthouse that his one time friend Coss, entered his plea on Thursday, Osiel was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty in a plea deal, to one drug trafficking count, three counts related to threatening U.S. federal agents and one count of money laundering.
Costilla Sánchez was arrested by the Mexican marines in the city of Tampico, Tamaulipas, on September, 12th, 2012.
He was extradited Wednesday, along with 12 others including Edgar Valdez Villarreal aka La Barbie.
Below is a video of Coss’ arrest:
Some material from BB archives and from KRGV