Latest news with #JoaquinGuzmanLopez
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
US prosecutors won't seek death penalty for son of Mexican drug cartel leader ‘El Chapo'
Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty for the son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin 'El Chapo' if he's convicted of multiple charges in Chicago. U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday saying he would not seek the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The notice did not offer any explanation. 'Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him,' Lichtman said. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's father is Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. According to federal prosecutors, El Chapo smuggled mountains of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over 25 years. He was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy counts and sentenced to life in a U.S. prison later that year. Prosecutors allege Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the cartel known as the 'Chapitos,' or little Chapos, that has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. Prosecutors unsealed sweeping indictments in 2023 against dozens of members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the brothers. Federal authorities arrested Joaquin Guzman Lopez and another longtime Sinaloa leader, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in July in Texas after they landed in the U.S. on a private plane. Joaquin Guzman Lopez has been indicted on eight counts, including money laundering, drug dealing and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He has pleaded not guilty. Zambada has said Joaquin Guzman Lopez kidnapped him and brought him to the U.S. He faces multiple counts in federal court in New York, including international distribution of cocaine, money laundering and manufacturing drugs for illegal importation. He has pleaded not guilty. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He's charged in federal court in Chicago with money laundering, drug and firearm offenses. He has pleaded not guilty but online court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 to change his plea as part of a deal with prosecutors.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Son of drug notorious cartel leader "El Chapo" won't face death penalty if convicted, U.S. says
Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty for the son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin "El Chapo" if he's convicted of multiple charges in Chicago. U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday saying he would not seek the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The notice did not offer any explanation. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's attorney, listed in online court records as Jeffrey Lichtman, said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was pleased with the decision "as it's the correct one." "Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him," Lichtman said. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's father is Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. According to federal prosecutors, El Chapo smuggled mountains of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over 25 years. He was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy counts and sentenced to life in a U.S. prison later that year. Prosecutors allege Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the cartel known as the "Chapitos," or little Chapos, that has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. Prosecutors unsealed sweeping indictments in 2023 against dozens of members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the brothers. According that indictment, the Chapitos and their cartel associates used corkscrews, electrocution and hot chiles to torture their rivals while some of their victims were "fed dead or alive to tigers." Federal authorities arrested Joaquin Guzman Lopez and another longtime Sinaloa leader, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, in July in Texas after they landed in the U.S. on a private plane. This combo of images provided by the U.S. Department of State show Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, left, and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another infamous cartel leader, after they were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday, July 25, 2024. / AP Joaquin Guzman Lopez has been indicted on eight counts, including money laundering, drug dealing and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He has pleaded not guilty. Zambada has said Joaquin Guzman Lopez kidnapped him and brought him to the U.S. He faces multiple counts in federal court in New York, including international distribution of cocaine, money laundering and manufacturing drugs for illegal importation. He has pleaded not guilty. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He's charged in federal court in Chicago with money laundering, drug and firearm offenses. He has pleaded not guilty but online court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 to change his plea as part of a deal with prosecutors. Lichtman is also representing Ovidio Guzman Lopez. He declined in an email to provide any details about an 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 a deal 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 to enter the U.S., local media reported.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
US prosecutors won't seek death penalty for son of Mexican drug cartel leader ‘El Chapo'
Drugs in society MexicoFacebookTweetLink Follow Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty for the son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin 'El Chapo' if he's convicted of multiple charges in Chicago. US Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday saying he would not seek the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman notice did not offer any explanation. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's attorney, listed in online court records as Jeffrey Lichtman, said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was pleased with the decision 'as it's the correct one.' 'Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him,' Lichtman said. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's father is Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. According to federal prosecutors, El Chapo smuggled mountains of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over 25 years. He was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy counts and sentenced to life in a US prison later that year. Prosecutors allege Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the cartel known as the 'Chapitos,' or little Chapos, that has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the US Prosecutors unsealed sweeping indictments in 2023 against dozens of members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the brothers. Federal authorities arrested Joaquin Guzman Lopez and another longtime Sinaloa leader, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in July in Texas after they landed in the US on a private plane. Joaquin Guzman Lopez has been indicted on eight counts, including money laundering, drug dealing and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He has pleaded not guilty. Zambada has said Joaquin Guzman Lopez kidnapped him and brought him to the US He faces multiple counts in federal court in New York, including international distribution of cocaine, money laundering and manufacturing drugs for illegal importation. He has pleaded not guilty. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He's charged in federal court in Chicago with money laundering, drug and firearm offenses. He has pleaded not guilty but online court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 to change his plea as part of a deal with prosecutors. Lichtman is also representing Ovidio Guzman Lopez. He declined in an email to provide any details about an agreement.
NBC News
3 days ago
- NBC News
U.S. prosecutors won't seek death penalty for son of Mexican drug cartel leader 'El Chapo'
Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty for the son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin 'El Chapo' if he is convicted of multiple charges in Chicago. U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday saying he would not seek the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The notice did not offer any explanation. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's attorney, listed in online court records as Jeffrey Lichtman, said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was pleased with the decision 'as it's the correct one.' 'Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him,' Lichtman said. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's father is Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. According to federal prosecutors, El Chapo smuggled mountains of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over 25 years. He was convicted in 2019 on multiple conspiracy counts and sentenced to life in a U.S. prison later that year. Prosecutors allege Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the cartel known as the 'Chapitos,' or little Chapos, that has been identified as a main exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. Prosecutors unsealed sweeping indictments in 2023 against dozens of members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the brothers. Federal authorities arrested Joaquin Guzman Lopez and another longtime Sinaloa leader, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in July in Texas after they landed in the U.S. on a private plane. Joaquin Guzman Lopez has been indicted on eight counts, including money laundering, drug dealing and conspiracy to distribute drugs. He has pleaded not guilty. Zambada has said Joaquin Guzman Lopez kidnapped him and brought him to the U.S. He faces multiple counts in federal court in New York, including international distribution of cocaine, money laundering and manufacturing drugs for illegal importation. He has pleaded not guilty. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He is charged in federal court in Chicago with money laundering, drug and firearm offenses. He has pleaded not guilty, but online court records indicate that he is scheduled to appear in court on July 9 to change his plea as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
No death penalty for son of Mexican drug boss ‘El Chapo': US prosecutors
Federal prosecutors in the United States said they will not seek the death penalty for the son of Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' if he is found guilty of multiple drug trafficking charges when he goes on trial. According to media reports, federal prosecutors in Chicago filed a one-sentence notice on May 23, saying they would not seek the death penalty for Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman – the former leader of Mexico's feared Sinaloa Cartel who is serving a life sentence in a US prison. The notice did not offer any explanation for the decision by the federal prosecutors, or further details. Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 38, was indicted in 2023 along with three of his brothers – known as the 'Chapitos', or little Chapos – on US drug trafficking and money laundering charges after assuming leadership of their father's drug cartel when 'El Chapo' was extradited to the US in 2017. Joaquin Guzman Lopez's lawyer said in an email to The Associated Press news agency on Tuesday that he was pleased with the federal prosecutors' decision, 'as it's the correct one'. 'Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him,' Lichtman said. Joaquin Guzman Lopez has pleaded not guilty to the five charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy and money laundering against him, one of which carries the maximum sentence of death as it was allegedly carried out on US territory. He was taken into US custody in a dramatic July 2024 arrest alongside alleged Sinaloa Cartel cofounder Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada on a New Mexico airfield. Zambada has also pleaded not guilty. But his lawyer told the Reuters news agency that he would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors agreed to spare him the death penalty. Another of the brothers, Ovidio Guzman, is expected to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges against him at a court hearing in Chicago on July 9, according to court records. 'El Chapo' Guzman is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado.
