On February 12, 2019, jurors convicted Joaquin Guzmán Loera on multiple federal drug-related counts. Guzmán is popularly known as El Chapo, a nickname that means Shorty.

Guzmán’s trial was well-publicized and dramatic, much like the man himself. He has spent time in and out of prison and has escaped from prison a number of times. Fearing possible retaliation, the U.S. federal court protected the anonymity of jurors in his trial, instructing them to refer to themselves not by their names but by their juror numbers.

According to prosecutors, Guzmán was the head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, a huge organization that shipped massive amounts of drugs out of Mexico. The prosecutors allege that Guzmán and his organization were responsible for sending drugs such as cocaine and heroin to the United States and other countries.

Will Guzmán’s conviction completely stop drug shipments from other countries and the import of drugs into the United States? No. But, it’s possible that this conviction may be a way to fight drug trafficking, drug use, drug addiction, and the need for addiction treatment.

Cynically, people may say that if Guzmán goes to prison, other people will take his place in the Sinaloa cartel and other drug-related organizations. But, perhaps Guzmán’s trial is not a stand-alone incident.

Perhaps prosecuting other high-level drug traffickers would thin the ranks of such organizations. Such prosecutions would also leave these organizations vulnerable and exposed to the whims of less experienced and less competent leadership.

Prosecuting Guzmán and others has been difficult because they allegedly used money, military force, political influence, and threats to protect themselves and intimidate people who spoke out against them. Protecting witnesses and providing other support, like the protecting the Guzmán trial jurors, is vital in prosecuting people like Guzmán.

And prosecution may be vital. Isn’t it better to try to cut drugs off at the source, at the cartel level, instead of prosecuting people unfortunate enough to abuse them? Instead of punishing nonviolent people for possessing a few ounces of drugs, let’s focus on people who provide drugs and help others find treatment.