Overview
- Erick Valencia Salazar, known as El 85, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to conspiring to import and distribute cocaine, and Judge James E. Boasberg accepted the plea.
- The court scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 31, and prosecutors and the defense must file sentencing memoranda before that date.
- He remains in U.S. federal custody at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia after Mexico transferred him to U.S. authorities in February 2025.
- U.S. agencies say Valencia has trafficked cocaine since 2003 and controlled routes in Jalisco, Baja California, Colima, and Michoacán.
- News outlets report the plea stems from an agreement that could include cooperation and affect his sentence, though prosecutors have not confirmed any cooperation in public filings.