Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, has pleaded guilty to multiple drug trafficking charges in a U.S. federal court in Chicago. The 35-year-old Sinaloa Cartel leader entered guilty pleas to two counts of drug distribution and two counts of participation in a continuing criminal enterprise.
As part of his plea agreement, Guzmán admitted to overseeing the production and smuggling of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl into the United States. He also pleaded guilty to money laundering and firearms charges.
The guilty plea comes amid ongoing violence in Sinaloa state, where rival factions of the cartel continue to battle for control. In late June, Mexican authorities discovered 20 bodies in Culiacán, including five that were decapitated. Earlier in May, violence between two cartel factions — Los Chapitos and Los Mayos — led to highway closures around the state capital.
Guzmán was arrested in Culiacán in January 2023 and extradited to the United States in September of that year. His brother, Joaquín Guzmán López, is also in U.S. custody in Chicago and is expected to plead guilty at a hearing scheduled for September.
Criticism and Ongoing Legal Proceedings
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the U.S. handling of the case, expressing a “lack of coherence” in how the U.S. deals with cartel members after declaring Mexican cartels terrorist organizations earlier this year.
Prosecutors have alleged that Ovidio and his brothers revived the Sinaloa Cartel after their father’s arrest in 2016, particularly through trafficking fentanyl, which has significantly contributed to the overdose crisis in the United States.
Guzmán’s next court appearance before U.S. District Judge Sharon Coleman is scheduled in six months. The terms of his plea deal, including potential sentencing recommendations or cooperation agreements, have not been publicly disclosed.
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