Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, pleaded guilty in a US federal court on Monday to drug trafficking charges. The plea was entered during what was supposed to be a status hearing in Chicago, according to court records. Guzman Lopez, one of the four siblings collectively known as "Los Chapitos," is accused of helping run the Sinaloa cartel's operations after their father's imprisonment, USA Today reports. The Sinaloa cartel is widely considered to be among the world's most powerful drug trafficking organizations.
Guzman Lopez had initially pleaded not guilty following his arrest in Texas last year. In May, prosecutors agreed to not seek the death penalty in his case, per the BBC. He was detained in July 2024 after arriving by private plane, along with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a longtime associate of El Chapo and co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel. Zambada's arrest was touted as a significant achievement for American authorities, per USA Today, with officials suggesting Guzman Lopez played a role in bringing Zambada to the US.
Prosecutors allege Guzman Lopez was involved in smuggling large quantities of fentanyl and other narcotics into the US. Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. The plea comes months after his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, pleaded guilty to drug distribution and related charges. El Chapo himself was extradited to the US in 2017 and is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison.
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