CHICAGO (AP) – Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin “El Chapo,” plans to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges in the United States, as indicated by court documents filed on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Guzman Lopez, along with his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, is accused of leading a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the “Chapitos,” which has been implicated in the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez is the son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the former head of the Sinaloa cartel, who notoriously smuggled vast quantities of cocaine and other illegal drugs into the United States over a span of 25 years. Ovidio was arrested in Mexico in January 2023 and subsequently extradited to the United States to face serious federal charges in Chicago, including money laundering and drug-related offenses.
Initially, Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. However, recent online court records reveal that he is set to appear in court on July 9 to change his plea as part of an emerging deal with prosecutors. This decision comes after negotiations related to a potential plea agreement were disclosed during an October court hearing.
If he proceeds with this plea deal, Ovidio Guzman Lopez would be the first of the Guzman brothers to formally enter into an agreement with prosecutors. His brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, remains in U.S. custody as well. He was arrested in July 2023, along with another prominent figure in the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, after they arrived in Texas on a private plane. Joaquin has also pleaded not guilty to multiple serious charges, including money laundering and conspiracy to distribute drugs, with Zambada sharing the same non-guilty plea status.
The arrests of the Guzman brothers have prompted a notable escalation of violence in the northern state of Sinaloa, Mexico, where rival factions within the Sinaloa cartel have reportedly engaged in violent clashes. This internal strife highlights the cartel's ongoing power struggles in the wake of their father's incarceration and the significant law enforcement efforts to dismantle their operations.
Attempts to reach both federal prosecutors and Ovidio Guzman Lopez’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, for comment were not immediately successful, reflecting the complexities surrounding high-profile cases of organized crime and the legal implications for the individuals involved.
This developing situation emphasizes the ongoing challenges that authorities face in combating drug trafficking organizations and the impact such arrests have on cartel dynamics within Mexico and beyond.
