Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of the sons of convicted Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has pleaded guilty in a Chicago courtroom to federal drug trafficking and criminal enterprise charges. His plea marks a reversal from his earlier not-guilty position following his July 2024 arrest in Texas.
According to court documents, Guzman Lopez accepted a plea agreement that requires him to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors. In return, the judge may consider sparing him the mandatory life sentence tied to the charges, depending on the extent of his cooperation.
“The defendant understands that any decision to deviate from the guideline sentence, including the mandatory life term, is solely at the discretion of the Court,” the plea filing stated.
Guzman Lopez will be sentenced at a later date. As part of the agreement, he is also required to forfeit $80 million — money identified as proceeds from his criminal activities.
His brother, Ovidio Guzman, also entered a guilty plea in July 2025 under a separate deal that reduced his charges related to drug trafficking and participation in a criminal enterprise. During his plea, Ovidio admitted that he and his siblings — collectively known as “Los Chapitos” — assumed control of portions of their father’s operations within the Sinaloa cartel.
“El Chapo,” now 68, is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. supermax prison in Colorado after his 2016 capture and 2019 conviction.
Prosecutors say Guzman Lopez played a major role in coordinating the transport of enormous quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana from Mexico into the United States. The case file noted that he was responsible for moving “hundreds or thousands of kilograms” of illegal drugs across the border.
His 2024 arrest fueled internal cartel conflict between factions loyal to the Guzman brothers and those aligned with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. The violent clashes reportedly contributed to about 1,200 deaths and roughly 1,400 disappearances across Mexico, according to official estimates.
The U.S. government continues to accuse the Sinaloa cartel of funneling fentanyl into American communities — a synthetic opioid that has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths and heightened diplomatic tensions between Washington and Mexico.
Under the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on drug cartels, “Los Chapitos” were hit with additional sanctions in June, alongside a $10 million reward placed on each fugitive brother still at large. Two of the remaining brothers — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar — are also facing U.S. drug trafficking indictments but have not been captured.
This plea deal reflects prosecutors’ position that Guzman Lopez has shown clear acknowledgment and acceptance of responsibility for his role within the cartel.
