Joaquín Guzmán López Pleaded Guilty to Federal Charges and It Feels Like This Saga Is Just Starting
Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the Chapitos, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in the United States. The cartel leader, and one of El Chapo’s sons, has been in US custody for more than a year. He was arrested in El Paso after landing in a private plane. He is responsible for bringing Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to US authorities. El Mayo claims he was ambushed and kidnapped by Joaquín Guzmán López, leading to his arrest. Here are the wild ups and downs of the case that has captivated the world.
Joaquín Guzmán López pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges
Another trial against one of the Chapitos has come to an end. Joaquín Guzmán López pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise. The charges stem from his job in the Sinaloa Cartel to oversee the transport of drugs to the United States. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), El Chapo’s son oversaw the trafficking of 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 90 kilograms of heroin, and 450 kilograms of cocaine. Additionally, he oversaw the transport of 45 kilograms of methamphetamine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.
Part of the guilty plea includes Guzmán López forfeiting $80 million in profits from his work in the cartel.
“The Guzmán’s have made a family business out of trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” Acting Assistant Director Gregory Heeb of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division said in a statement. “Protecting Americans from the Sinaloa and other criminal cartels terrorizing and poisoning our communities is one of the FBI’s highest priorities and we will continue to work relentlessly to dismantle and disrupt these dangerous international criminal networks.”
Earlier this year, Joaquín’s brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, pleaded guilty in his own case for similar charges. The two brothers worked together for a specific faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that oversaw drug trafficking operations.
The brothers have been cooperating with federal authorities
The two brothers have agreed to cooperate with the authorities in their plea deals. There is already speculation that they are cooperating with federal officials since the time of their subsequent arrests. The confirmation of the cooperation based on plea deals could bring a new chapter of accountability in the crackdown against cartels in Mexico.
“Under the Chapitos’ leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel has fueled the deadliest drug crisis in our nation’s history, manufacturing poison and profiting from the destruction of American lives,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said in a statement. “DEA stands committed to dismantle Sinaloa Cartel’s command and control, expose their criminal networks, and deliver justice for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to their greed.”
Admin. Cole points to the current guilty plea from Joaquín Guzmán López as a good sign. The plea is another blow in the ongoing fight to curb cartel-led violence and drug trafficking in both the US and Mexico.
The Department of Justice is still looking for Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar. The US government has offered a $10 million reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the two fugitives.
