Latest news with #Joaquin'ElChapo'Guzman
NZ Herald
12-07-2025
- NZ Herald
El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleads guilty to drug charges in Chicago
A son of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman pleaded guilty to drug charges in Chicago on Friday in a deal struck with prosecutors in return for a reduced sentence. Nicknamed 'El Raton', or 'The Mouse', Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Son of ‘El Chapo' Guzman pleads guilty to narcotics trafficking charges in Chicago federal court
One of the sons of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty Friday in federal court in Chicago to helping his father and brothers run the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, importing thousands of tons of narcotics into the U.S., bribing public officials and using murder and kidnapping to amass and maintain power. By pleading guilty, however, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, has agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities in any ongoing investigations and testify against his associates in the hopes that prosecutors will recommend a sentence of less than life in prison. Those details were revealed in a dramatic, 90-minute hearing under tight security at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts each of supervising an ongoing criminal enterprise and drug trafficking conspiracy. In his plea agreement with prosecutors, Guzman Lopez admitted to three specific murders that took place in Mexico and Arizona, as well as his involvement in the January 2023 shootout with Mexican law enforcement as they tried to arrest him in the Mexican city of Culican, which led to the deaths of dozens of individuals. He also admitted to overseeing the shipment of thousands of kilograms of the powerful synthetic narcotic fentanyl into the U.S., an operation that authorities have blamed for countless overdose deaths over the past decade. Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and shackled at the ankles, Guzman Lopez stood at the lectern with his hands folded in front of him for the proceedings on Friday, listening through a Spanish interpreter. Each time prosecutors recited specific allegations in the plea agreement, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman asked him if he understood and agreed that he was responsible. 'Sí,' Guzman Lopez answered each time.
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: The Disney show that lives up to all the expectations
Good afternoon, Chicago. One of the sons of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty today in federal court in Chicago to helping his father and brothers run the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, importing thousands of tons of narcotics into the U.S., bribing public officials and using murder and kidnapping to amass and maintain power. By pleading guilty, however, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, has agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities in any ongoing investigations and testify against his associates in the hopes that prosecutors will recommend a sentence of less than life in prison. Those details were revealed in a dramatic, 90-minute hearing under tight security at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts each of supervising an ongoing criminal enterprise and drug trafficking conspiracy. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History When activist Jean Kaczmarek was elected DuPage County clerk seven years ago, she became the first Democrat elected to countywide office in 84 years and her subsequent work as clerk to make voting easier and more available was lauded by the party faithful. But the appointment of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office as special prosecutor to investigate Kaczmarek's office over allegations of official misconduct has prompted concern among Democrats that the gains they have made in wresting significant control of the once strongly Republican suburban county could be at risk. Read more here. More top news stories: The Lake Forest College Board of Trustees has tapped West Chicago native Michael 'Mike' Sosulski to be its next president, the school announced. Read more here. More top business stories: Young High School in Chicago never has produced a first-round pick in the MLB draft. That could change Sunday if outfielder Brendan Summerhill is picked, as projected, after three seasons at Arizona. Read more here. More top sports stories: Disney's new North American tour, now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, delivers just about everything I could hope for in 'Beauty and the Beast' — lovely music, dazzling costumes and standout choreography that made me fall in love with new moments in the show, writes critic Emily McClanathan. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: President Donald Trump has sent letters this week outlining higher tariffs countries will face if they don't make trade deals with the U.S. by Aug. 1. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Son of ‘El Chapo' Guzman to plead guilty to narcotics trafficking charges in Chicago federal court
One of the sons of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty Friday in federal court in Chicago to helping his father and brothers run the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, importing thousands of tons of narcotics into the U.S., bribing public officials and using murder and kidnapping to amass and maintain power. By pleading guilty, however, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, has agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities in any ongoing investigations and testify against his associates in the hopes that prosecutors will recommend a sentence of less than life in prison. Those details were revealed in a dramatic, 90-minute hearing under tight security at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts each of supervising an ongoing criminal enterprise and drug trafficking conspiracy. In his plea agreement with prosecutors, Guzman Lopez admitted to three specific murders that took place in Mexico and Arizona, as well as his involvement in the January 2023 shootout with Mexican law enforcement as they tried to arrest him in the Mexican city of Culican, which led to the deaths of dozens of individuals. He also admitted to overseeing the shipment of thousands of kilograms of the powerful synthetic narcotic fentanyl into the U.S., an operation that authorities have blamed for countless overdose deaths in over the past decade. Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and shackled at the ankles, Guzman Lopez stood at the lectern with his hands folded in front of him for the proceedings Friday, listening through a Spanish interpreter. Each time prosecutors recited specific allegations in the plea agreement, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman asked him if he understood and agreed that he was responsible. 'Sí,' Guzman Lopez answered each time.
11-07-2025
Son of ‘El Chapo' expected to plead guilty in drug trafficking case
CHICAGO -- A son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is expected to plead guilty in a sweeping U.S. drug trafficking case at a court hearing set for Friday. The hearing for Ovidio Guzman Lopez, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was quietly rescheduled with no public explanation. Court records indicate that Guzman Lopez intends to change his not guilty plea as part of a deal with federal prosecutors. If finalized, it would mark the first time one of El Chapo's sons has struck such an agreement with federal prosecutors. Speculation about a deal has been mounting for months, as behind-the-scenes negotiations have progressed quietly and slowly. Federal prosecutors allege that Ovidio and his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, led a powerful faction of the Sinaloa cartel. The brothers, who became known locally as Los Chapitos, are accused of overseeing a major fentanyl trafficking operation that funneled what prosecutors described as a 'staggering' amount of the synthetic opioid into the United States. Their father, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison following a 2019 conviction. After his capture, Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his siblings reportedly took on key leadership roles within the cartel. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested by Mexican authorities in early 2023 and extradited to the U.S. months later. He originally pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms charges. His brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, and longtime cartel leader Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada were arrested in Texas in 2024 after arriving on a private plane. Their high-profile capture set off a wave of violence across Sinaloa as rival factions scrambled for control.
