Joaquín Guzmán or 'El Chapo' was extradited last year to face United States drug conspiracy charges.
He is accused of having a hand in dozens of murders, and smuggling more than 200 tons of cocaine.
El Chapo Guzman: Timeline from Arrest, Escape, Capture, Trial
El Chapo Guzman: Timeline from Arrest, Escape, Capture, Trial
Guzman's criminal pedigree prompted authorities in New York to hold him in solitary confinement in a high-security wing of a federal jail in Manhattan that has held notorious terrorists and mobsters.
For pre-trial hearings, authorities transported the Mexican drug lord to and from jail by shutting down the Brooklyn Bridge to make way for a police motorcade that included a SWAT team and an ambulance, all tracked by helicopters.
RELATED: Wanted by feds in Chicago, El Chapo's son goes lavish on the lam
At the time, the judge noted the expense and logistical nightmare it could create - particularly for New Yorkers who rely on the bridge to commute.
The trial could last as long as four months.
RELATED: El Chapo successor pleads guilty; could spell trouble for drug lord
Now there's speculation that a special cell for Guzman has been set up deep inside the Brooklyn courthouse.
Keep in mind, El Chapo escaped jail twice in Mexico through a tunnel.
Jurors will be kept anonymous and escorted to and from the courthouse by federal officers.
Heavily armed federal agents will turn the courthouse into a fortress.