Son of ‘El Chapo’ Changes Plea in Chicago Court
This image provided by the US Department of State shows Joaquin Guzman Lopez after he was arrested in Texas. (U.S. Department of State via AP, File)
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, entered a guilty plea to federal drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court on Monday. The unexpected plea came during what was scheduled to be a routine status hearing in Chicago, according to court filings. Guzman Lopez is one of the four brothers known as “Los Chapitos,” who prosecutors say helped steer the Sinaloa cartel after their father’s imprisonment. The cartel remains one of the most powerful narcotics networks in the world.
Guzman Lopez had previously pleaded not guilty following his arrest in Texas last year. Prosecutors confirmed in May that they would not pursue the death penalty, according to the BBC. He was taken into custody in July 2024 after arriving in the U.S. by private jet alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, El Chapo’s longtime partner and a co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel. U.S. officials described Zambada’s capture as a major success, with some suggesting Guzman Lopez may have helped facilitate his arrival.
According to prosecutors, Guzman Lopez played a role in smuggling large amounts of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. Fentanyl overdoses have become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. His plea follows that of his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, who admitted guilt earlier this year to drug distribution charges. El Chapo was extradited to the United States in 2017 and is serving a life sentence in a high-security federal prison.
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