Two Sons of El Chapo in Plea Negotiations with US Government Over Drug-Trafficking Charges
Joaquin Guzmán López, 38, and his brother Ovidio Guzmán López, 34, are in plea negotiations with the US government over sweeping drug-trafficking charges. The brothers, sons of notorious cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, have been accused of leading a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the “Chapitos” and exporting fentanyl to the US.
The brothers initially pleaded not guilty, but have since begun negotiations with federal prosecutors. Their attorneys confirmed the negotiations in a Chicago courtroom, where Assistant US Attorney Andrew Erskine said the government is trying to explore a global resolution.
The plea negotiations come after the brothers were arrested in separate incidents. Joaquin Guzmán López was arrested in July by US authorities in Texas, along with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Ovidio Guzmán López was arrested in October 2019.
The brothers are accused of overseeing the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of drugs into the US, along with related violence. Their next court dates are set for February 27 and March 19, respectively.
