Northeast
Suspected Mexican cartel leader and 'El Chapo' henchman suspected in American deaths faces slew of US charges
An alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader and assassin was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico over the weekend to face a litany of charges between indictments in southern New York and Washington, D.C.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a release Tuesday that 32-year-old Mexican national Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” faces charges such as conspiring to import narcotics into the U.S., using and possessing machine guns in connection with the narcotics’ conspiracy, conspiring to import fentanyl into the U.S., conspiring to obstruct justice by retaliating against a witness and information through murder, kidnapping resulting in the death of a minor, and money laundering, among other charges.
“Today, El Nini joins the growing list of cartel leaders and associates extradited to the United States and held accountable in an American courtroom,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise. This includes killing a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential source and killing others in retaliation for the confidential source’s cooperation.”
Mexican authorities arrested Pérez Salas on Nov. 22, 2023, before being extradited to the U.S. last week. On Tuesday, Pérez Salas appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang in the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
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Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” was extradited to the U.S. on charges in both Washington, D.C., and the Southern District of New York.
The indictment filed in the SDNY alleges Pérez Salas is one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico which is responsible for a substantial portion of the fentanyl brought into the U.S.
Over the past few years, the cartel has been led by Joaquine Guzman, also known as “El Chapo,” as well as his sons, who collectively are known as the “Chapitos.”
The DOJ alleges that Pérez Salas is a senior leader of the Chapitos’ security team, and under his direction, armed enforcers known as sicarios have used violence to protect the cartel’s operations, while also demolishing unsupportive businesses, intimidating civilians, attacking and murdering law enforcement officials who resist their efforts, and capturing contested territories.
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Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is escorted by soldiers during a presentation in Mexico City, Jan. 8, 2016. (Reuters/Tomas Bravo/File Photo)
Also, under Pérez Salas’ direction, the sicarios allegedly use military-grade firearms and explosives to kidnap, torture and kill anyone who opposes the Chapitos.
Pérez Salas is the head of the Ninis, court documents claim, which is a security group for the Chapitos.
The indictment alleges that between 2012 and 2021, Pérez Salas conspired to manufacture and distribute cocaine and methamphetamine in the U.S., used a firearm for drug trafficking-related offenses, and killed, attempted to kill, threatened, and physically harmed people to intimidate a government witness and informant.
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The documents also claim in 2018, Pérez Salas and two Chapitos captured, tortured, interrogated and killed Mexican law enforcement officers, as well as three members of the rival drug cartel, Los Zetas.
In 2022, he and a sicario allegedly used individuals to test the potency of their fentanyl, while also allegedly selling fentanyl that was later seized by the DEA in Los Angeles.
Last October, Pérez Salas and sicarios allegedly kidnapped 10 victims and a confidential source in Mexico, including a U.S. citizen, who Pérez Salas believed worked for, or was related to the confidential source.
The cartel members then allegedly killed eight of the kidnapped victims, including a 13-year-old boy, in retaliation for the confidential source’s move to provide law enforcement officials with information about Pérez Salas and his associates.
Pérez Salas faces life in prison if convicted.
“I am grateful to our Mexican government counterparts for their extraordinary efforts in apprehending and extraditing El Nini,” Garland said. “The Justice Department will always be relentless in its pursuit of the cartels responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl and other drugs.”
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Vermont
4 Burlington beaches closed due to algae blooms
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Four Burlington beaches are temporarily closed to swimmers because of cyanobacteria.
North, Texaco, Blodgett and Blanchard beaches are affected.
The beaches themselves remain open, but swimming is prohibited until cyanobacteria levels drop.
Click here for the latest updates on Burlington’s Beach Closure Tracker.
You can also check the state’s Cyanobacteria Tracker for reported conditions along Lake Champlain and various inland lakes in Vermont. The map shows where cyanobacteria blooms have been reported recently, but it can’t tell you the current conditions at your favorite swimming area.
Blue-green algae has frequently foiled swimmers in our region in recent years, repeatedly forcing officials to temporarily close beaches.
The blooms are typically blue-green in color, and can make water look like pea soup or spilled paint. They feed off nutrients in the lake and can produce harmful toxins.
Exposure can pose serious health risks like skin rashes, sore throats and stomach problems. They can also be toxic to dogs and other animals.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Boston, MA
Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers – The Boston Globe
Amid several reports that said Brown didn’t request a trade and that Boston actually thought Derrick White was the best player on the 2025-26 roster, an already motivated Brown now has an even larger chip on his shoulder after the Celtics dealt him away.
“The message was received,” Brown said. “I wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect that was shown throughout this process. I think there was a bit of a lack of respect. I think it was fine at one point, then out of nowhere, things just went left. I think Brad [Stevens] is getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled with the way he facilitated some of the conversations.”
After the Celtics fell short in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo — Brown was the centerpiece of Boston’s trade package — Stevens was noncommittal when asked about Brown’s future in Boston.
“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said. “I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So obviously, you never know. But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been.”
“He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate, a great person to be around. And whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or before, there’s a lot to celebrate. We have a great relationship, an open relationship where we talk about everything. But I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as, this is our team.”
Stevens traded Brown to the 76ers on Wednesday in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. The deal was widely criticized.
For Brown, the most puzzling aspect was the lack of an explanation.
“I definitely think there’s more to it,” Brown said. “I just wish that more to it could’ve been explained to me. Because I think if more to it was explained, I would’ve understood. I thought I earned the respect to get that explanation. But hey, obviously, I was wrong. That’s life. You move on.”
Brown will now join a 76ers team that, with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and V. J. Edgecombe already in place, could be poised to leapfrog Boston in the Eastern Conference.
“I don’t want [any] special treatment, I don’t need no handouts … I plan on earning my respect one day at a time by putting in the work,” Brown said of playing for Philadelphia. “I’m looking forward to getting in the gym, the whole process.”
“The hard part is, the last 10 years, I’ve been programmed to hate Philadelphia. The history of the rivalry, the playoff battles … I’ve been programmed to think like, ‘[Expletive] The Process’. It’s funny, now I’ve got to reverse-engineer it. But I’ll be ready to go by the time the season starts.”
Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com.
Pittsburg, PA
Fireworks Near Me: July 4th Events Around USC, Pittsburgh For 2026
The 90-foot tall Ferris wheel will run from July 1 through July 5 on the North Shore. Tickets are on sale now and 50% of all proceeds will be donated to the Veterans Leadership Program. Tickets can be purchased at: pittsburghpa.gov/july4.
The BNY Main Stage at Point State Park will have entertainment starting at 4 p.m. Headlining the performances will be Grammy- and Tony-Award nominated national pop rock band the Plain White T’s. Shows are free,
As part of the National Flag Foundation’s Light to Unite, the city’s skyscrapers will be illuminated in red, white and blue across Downtown at 9 p.m.
The city’s fireworks spectacular is set to be the city’s largest fireworks display in decades. For the first time, there will be a drone performance immediately before the fireworks start.
The fireworks show will utilize six barges on all three rivers – and some rooftops. Fireworks will begin at 9:35 PM on July 4.
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