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By Robert Alexander
Senior Crime & Court Reporter
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Ecuadorean gang leader José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as "Fito," will plead not guilty when he appears in federal court in New York later on Monday following his extradition last night, his attorney has said.
Macías, 44, faces a seven-count federal indictment and is accused by U.S. prosecutors of leading a transnational criminal organization involved in large-scale drug trafficking and firearms smuggling operations.
The indictment alleges that from at least 2016 through 2025, Macías was the leader of Los Choneros, a group described by authorities as a criminal organization engaged in the distribution of cocaine from Colombia through Ecuador and Mexico, with final destinations in the United States and elsewhere.
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A Justice Department spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday that Macías "was extradited to New York last night and will be arraigned today in Brooklyn Federal Court before Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon."
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"Mr. Macias and I will appear tomorrow before the Brooklyn federal court ... where he will plead not guilty," Macias' attorney, Alexei Schacht, told Reuters. "After, he will be held in a to-be-determined prison."
The Context
Macías was extradited from Ecuador following his arrest earlier this year. Prior to his extradition, he had escaped from a prison in Ecuador in January 2024 while serving a sentence for organized crime and murder. His escape led to increased security operations within Ecuador's prison system and broader national responses to organized criminal activity.
In the wake of his extradition, U.S. law enforcement officials stated that the case reflects ongoing international cooperation between U.S. and Ecuadorian authorities targeting drug trafficking and transnational criminal networks.
What To Know
According to the indictment, Macías and others conspired to traffic multiple shipments of cocaine across international borders, including three specific instances in late 2024 and early 2025 that involved approximately 1,100 kilograms, 1,800 kilograms, and 800 kilograms of cocaine respectively. Prosecutors claim the organization utilized methods including violence, bribery, and illegal firearms trafficking to support its drug operations.
The document outlines accusations that members of Los Choneros, under Macías' direction, used hitmen, known as "sicarios," to protect the group's leadership and operations. Prosecutors allege that these individuals committed acts of violence using weapons including AK-47s, grenades, and machine guns.
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In support of these activities, the indictment alleges that firearms, ammunition, and related components were illegally obtained in the United States and then exported to Ecuador through straw purchases and smuggling operations. One charge relates to an alleged smuggling attempt that occurred in April 2024, involving weapons components sent from U.S. states including New Mexico and Arizona.
The charges include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, use and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, smuggling goods from the United States, and conspiracy to make straw purchases of firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Blustein Hass and Craig E. Weiner are prosecuting the case on behalf of the Eastern District of New York. Prosecutors have also filed notices of criminal forfeiture, seeking the seizure of property and assets allegedly connected to or derived from the criminal offenses.
Each count carries significant penalties under U.S. law. For example, drug trafficking charges involving more than five kilograms of cocaine may result in a minimum 10-year sentence upon conviction. Firearms and smuggling charges carry additional penalties.
What Are People Saying
A Justice Department spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement Monday: José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as "Fito," the leader of Los Choneros, a transnational criminal organization based in Ecuador, was extradited to New York last night and will be arraigned today in Brooklyn Federal Court before Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon."
United States Attorney John J. Durham said in a news release announcing the indictment on April 2: "As alleged, the defendant was a ruthless leader and prolific drug trafficker for a violent transnational criminal organization. By leading the Los Choneros' network of assassins and drug and weapon traffickers and importing potentially lethal quantities of cocaine into the United States, the defendant has caused great harm to his own country and the United States, which was the destination for the vast majority of Los Choneros' cocaine shipments."
What Happens Next
According to the indictment, if convicted on all counts, Macías could face a life sentence in federal prison. Prosecutors have also indicated that they will pursue forfeiture of assets, including property obtained from drug proceeds or used in furtherance of the alleged offenses.
Investigators continue to examine the scope of the alleged criminal network's operations, both in South America and the United States. The case remains active and ongoing.
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