One of the sons of the infamous Mexican drug lord known as ‘El Chapo’ has admitted to drug trafficking charges. Joaquín Guzmán López pleaded guilty to US drug trafficking charges on Monday, as reported by the Associated Press.
His plea follows his brother’s previous agreement. Joaquín Guzmán López and his brother Ovidio Guzmán López, nicknamed the ‘little Chapos’ in Mexico, are accused of overseeing a sector of the Sinaloa cartel. In 2023, federal authorities described their operation as a significant effort to smuggle large amounts of fentanyl into the US.
Joaquín, aged 39, confessed to two counts of drug trafficking and leading a criminal enterprise after acknowledging his involvement in supervising the transportation of tens of thousands of kilograms of drugs to the US, mainly through underground passages. His lawyer mentioned that he is anticipated to avoid a life sentence through the plea agreement.
Security was tightened at Chicago’s federal court before the hearing where prosecutors outlined the events leading to Guzmán López’s dramatic arrest with another prominent Sinaloa leader on US territory in July 2024.
Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Guzmán López remained mostly silent during the court session on Monday. However, when District Judge Sharon Coleman asked him about his occupation at the beginning of the hearing, he replied, “drug trafficking.”
“Oh, that’s your job,” Coleman chuckled. “There you go.” Prosecutors suggested that if Guzmán López cooperates with the US government, his life sentence could be reduced, but he will still face a minimum of 10 years in prison, stated Andrew Erskine, a federal government attorney.
As part of the plea deal, Guzmán López waived his right to appeal the sentence. His defense counsel, Jeffrey Lichtman, remarked, “The government has been fair to Joaquín so far. I appreciate the lack of interference from the Mexican government.”
Guzmán López was apprehended in July 2024 in Texas alongside another long-standing Sinaloa leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, after arriving in the US on a private aircraft. Both individuals had previously pleaded not guilty to various charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms offenses.
Their arrest led to increased violence in Mexico’s northern Sinaloa state as two factions of the Sinaloa cartel clashed. In his admission as part of the plea agreement, Joaquín Guzmán López acknowledged his involvement in overseeing the production and smuggling of significant amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl into the United States, exacerbating a crisis that contributes to tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually.
Additionally, in the deal, Guzmán López confessed to the kidnapping of an unidentified individual believed to be Zambada. Erskine described the alleged abduction in court, recounting how Guzmán López had a floor-to-ceiling window glass removed.
Reportedly, others entered through the open window during a meeting in the room with the unnamed person, who was then seized, had a bag placed over his head, and was transported on a plane. While on board, he was restrained and sedated before landing at a New Mexico airport near the Texas border, according to AP.
Erskine argued that the alleged kidnapping was an effort to exhibit cooperation with the US government, although those actions were not sanctioned. Consequently, Guzmán López will not receive cooperation credit for that incident.
Zambada’s legal representative previously claimed that his client was forcefully taken by Guzmán López onto the US-bound flight and Lichtman indicated intentions to seek a reduced sentence.
Police dogs were deployed in the courthouse lobby to inspect bags and equipment. In July, Joaquín’s brother Ovidio Guzmán López became the first son of the drug lord to agree to a plea deal.
He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms-related charges linked to his leadership position in the cartel. Legal experts viewed this plea agreement as a significant advancement for the US government in prosecuting Sinaloa cartel leaders.
Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence following his 2019 conviction for leading the Sinaloa cartel, responsible for smuggling vast quantities of drugs into the US over 25 years. The