Fox News Flash top headlines for Dec. 17
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Mexico's former public security secretary, Genaro Garcia Luna, was held without bond at a Texas jail on Tuesday, as he awaits trial for accepting bribes from the Sinaloa cartel in exchange for ignoring their criminal activity.
Garcia Luna, 51, was indicted on three counts of conspiring to traffic cocaine, and a false statements charge, according to The Associated Press.
A judge reportedly ordered him to be held in Texas until U.S. Marshals could arrange for his transfer to New York, where the infamous Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was tried in 2018.
Garcia Luna was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in Dallas last Monday on charges of taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, which was run by "El Chapo."
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In this courtroom sketch, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, second from right, listened to his sentence via interpreter while surrounded by U.S. Marshals and flanked by his defense attorney Marc Fernich, during his sentencing in federal court on July 17 in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
“Garcia Luna stands accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes from ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel while he controlled Mexico’s Federal Police Force and was responsible for ensuring public safety in Mexico,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said.
“Today’s arrest demonstrates our resolve to bring to justice those who help cartels inflict devastating harm on the United States and Mexico, regardless of the positions they held while committing their crimes," he added.
Garcia Luna allegedly took bribes from 2001 until 2012. He served as Mexico's public security secretary from 2006 to 2012.
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During El Chapo’s trial in Brooklyn, former cartel member Jesus Zambada testified that he personally made at least $6 million in hidden payments to Garcia Luna.
Fox News' Robert Gearty and The Associated Press contributed to this report
