Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Son of El Chapo, to Plead Guilty in US Drug Case

Chicago, July 11 (AP) – Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is anticipated to plead guilty in a significant U.S. drug trafficking case during a court hearing scheduled for Friday.

Initially set for Wednesday, the hearing for Guzman Lopez was discreetly postponed without public explanation. Court documents indicate his intention to modify his not guilty plea, hinting at a potential agreement with federal prosecutors.

If finalized, this would be the first instance of a plea deal between one of El Chapo’s sons and federal prosecutors.

For months, whispers of a possible deal have circulated, fueled by slow and quiet negotiations behind the scenes.

Federal authorities allege that Ovidio and his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, led a formidable faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Dubbed locally as Los Chapitos, the brothers are accused of managing a substantial fentanyl trafficking operation, purportedly channeling what prosecutors describe as an “enormous” quantity of the synthetic opioid into the United States.

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison following his 2019 conviction. In the wake of his capture, his sons, including Ovidio Guzman Lopez, reportedly assumed pivotal leadership roles within the cartel.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez was apprehended by Mexican authorities in early 2023 and extradited to the U.S. a few months later. He initially pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations.

His brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, along with longtime cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, were apprehended in Texas in 2024 after arriving on a private jet. Their high-profile capture ignited a wave of violence throughout Sinaloa as competing factions vied for dominance.

Both men have maintained their not guilty pleas to multiple charges. (AP) GRS GRS

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