Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada decided to stick with the lawyer defending him from U.S. drug trafficking charges despite a possible conflict of interest.

The alleged cofounder of the Sinaloa Cartel, in U.S. custody since his arrival in July, could strike a deal to avoid the death penalty.

Zambada's lawyer Frank Perez has also represented his son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, who prosecutors say could testify against him at trial. Zambada Niebla previously testified against Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who founded the notorious Sinaloa Cartel alongside Zambada.

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, could face the death penalty in the United States after being charged with 17 counts, including drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder,