One of the sons of the infamous Mexican drug lord ‘El Chapo’ has admitted guilt to drug trafficking charges. Joaquín Guzmán López, aged 39, entered a plea of guilty on Monday to drug trafficking charges in the United States. His admission comes following a similar plea deal made by his brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, referred to in Mexico as the ‘little Chapos,’ who are accused of managing a segment of the Sinaloa cartel. Federal authorities in 2023 identified their operation as a substantial endeavor to smuggle significant amounts of fentanyl into the US.
Joaquín acknowledged his involvement in overseeing the transportation of large drug quantities, primarily through underground tunnels, to the US. He pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise. His legal counsel noted that he is likely to avoid a life sentence through the plea agreement.
During the court proceedings in Chicago, where a heavy security presence was observed, prosecutors detailed the events leading to Guzmán López’s apprehension alongside another prominent Sinaloa leader on US soil in July 2024. Clad in an orange jumpsuit, Guzmán López, when asked about his occupation by District Judge Sharon Coleman, bluntly responded, “drug trafficking,” eliciting a light-hearted exchange in court.
Prosecutors indicated that if Guzmán López cooperates with US authorities, his life sentence could be reduced, although he will still face a minimum of 10 years in prison. Guzmán López will not have the right to appeal the sentence under the terms of the plea agreement. His defense attorney expressed appreciation for the fair treatment received thus far.
The arrest of Guzmán López in Texas in July 2024, alongside another Sinaloa leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, after their arrival on a private plane, triggered heightened violence in Mexico’s Sinaloa state as factions of the cartel clashed. The plea deal involved Guzmán López admitting to his involvement in the production and smuggling of various illicit substances into the US, contributing to a crisis marked by numerous overdose deaths annually.
As part of the agreement, Guzmán López confessed to participating in an alleged kidnapping, involving the removal of a window’s glass and subsequent actions leading to the individual’s seizure and transportation. The defense argued that the supposed kidnapping was an effort to demonstrate cooperation with the US government, which was not sanctioned.
Guzmán López’s brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, had previously entered a plea deal related to drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms charges associated with his leadership within the cartel. Legal experts viewed this plea as a significant development in the US government’s pursuit and prosecution of Sinaloa cartel leaders.
Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, now serving a life sentence following his 2019 conviction as the former head of the Sinaloa cartel, played a pivotal role in smuggling vast quantities of drugs into the US over two and a half decades. The Guzmán brothers purportedly assumed leadership roles within the cartel after their father’s incarceration.