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‘El Chapo’ Son Joaquin Guzman Lopez Pleads Guilty to U.S. Drug Trafficking, Admits Role in Fentanyl Smuggling

Key facts: Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of jailed cartel boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to drug trafficking and running a continuing criminal enterprise. He admitted overseeing the production and smuggling of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. His arrest in July 2024, alongside Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, preceded violent clashes in Sinaloa. His brother Ovidio entered a related plea earlier in July 2024.

02:11 AM, 12/02/2025Security
‘El Chapo’ Son Joaquin Guzman Lopez Pleads Guilty to U.S. Drug Trafficking, Admits Role in Fentanyl Smuggling

On Monday, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of the sons of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to drug trafficking charges and running a continuing criminal enterprise. The plea comes months after his brother Ovidio reached a separate agreement with prosecutors.

Who the defendants are
Locally known as part of the "Chapitos" or "little Chapos," Joaquin and his brother Ovidio Guzman Lopez have been accused of directing a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. In 2023, federal authorities described the group's activities as a large-scale effort to ship "staggering" quantities of fentanyl into the United States.

Charges and plea details
Joaquin Guzman Lopez admitted guilt to two counts: drug trafficking and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. As part of the plea agreement, he acknowledged helping to oversee the production and smuggling of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl into the United States — illegal flows that U.S. officials say have fueled a nationwide overdose crisis.

Arrest and aftermath
He and longtime Sinaloa figure Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada were arrested in July 2024 in Texas after arriving on a private plane. At the time of their capture both men had entered earlier not-guilty pleas to a range of drug, money-laundering and firearms charges; Joaquin's recent guilty plea marks a major shift in his case. Their arrests triggered a spike in violence in Mexico's northern state of Sinaloa as rival cartel factions clashed.

Related developments
In July 2024, Ovidio Guzman Lopez became the first of El Chapo's sons to reach a plea agreement, admitting guilt on drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms charges tied to his role in the cartel. Legal analysts described that deal as a meaningful step forward for U.S. prosecutors seeking to dismantle the cartel's leadership.

Background on El Chapo
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the brothers' father, is serving a life sentence after his 2019 conviction for overseeing decades of large-scale drug smuggling into the United States. U.S. authorities say the Guzman brothers assumed leadership roles once held by their father.

Federal authorities have characterized the Sinaloa faction's trafficking of fentanyl as a key driver of overdose deaths in the United States.

This is a developing story and may be updated as more information becomes available.

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