Federal prosecutors have stated that they will not seek the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the notorious Mexican drug cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, should he be convicted on multiple charges in Chicago.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice on Friday indicating the decision regarding Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The notice did not elaborate on the reasoning behind this decision.
Jeffrey Lichtman, the attorney representing Joaquin Guzman Lopez according to online court records, expressed satisfaction with the prosecution’s decision, stating in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he believes it is “the correct one.” He added, “Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him.”
Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s father, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, was the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Federal prosecutors have established that “El Chapo” orchestrated the smuggling of vast quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over a period of 25 years. He was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy charges and subsequently sentenced to life in a U.S. prison. Prosecutors allege that Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, headed a faction within the cartel known as the “Chapitos,” or little Chapos, which has been identified as a primary source of fentanyl exported to the U.S.
In 2023, prosecutors unsealed extensive indictments against numerous members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the Guzman Lopez brothers. According to the indictment, the Chapitos and their associates employed brutal methods, including corkscrews, electrocution, and hot chiles, to torture rivals. Some victims were allegedly “fed dead or alive to tigers.”
Federal authorities apprehended Joaquin Guzman Lopez, along with another long-standing Sinaloa leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, in Texas in July after they arrived in the U.S. on a private aircraft. Joaquin Guzman Lopez faces eight counts, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He has entered a plea of not guilty.
Zambada has claimed that Joaquin Guzman Lopez orchestrated his kidnapping and transportation to the U.S. He is facing multiple charges in federal court in New York, including international cocaine distribution, money laundering, and manufacturing drugs for illegal importation. He has also pleaded not guilty.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and subsequently extradited to the United States. He has been charged in federal court in Chicago with offenses including money laundering, drug trafficking, and firearm violations. While he initially pleaded not guilty, online court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 to potentially change his plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors. Jeffrey Lichtman is also representing Ovidio Guzman Lopez and declined to provide details regarding a potential agreement.
Earlier this month, Mexico’s security chief confirmed that 17 family members of the cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of an arrangement between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration. El Chapo’s ex-wife, Griselda Lopez Perez, and her daughter were among the family members who entered the U.S., according to local media reports.
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