Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and a leader of the "Chapitos" faction of the Sinaloa cartel, pleaded guilty Friday to US drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms charges. This plea deal, which includes cooperation with US authorities, marks the first time one of El Chapo's sons has entered such an agreement, potentially providing a "roadmap" to cartel operations.
Son of El Chapo pleads guilty in US drug trafficking case
Joaquín 'El Chapo' GuzmánUnited StatesDrugs tradeWorld
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and a leader of the "Chapitos" faction of the Sinaloa cartel, pleaded guilty Friday to US drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms charges. This plea deal, which includes cooperation with US authorities, marks the first time one of El Chapo's sons has entered such an agreement, potentially providing a "roadmap" to cartel operations.
Trending- 1 2019: Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán convicted and serving life sentence.
- 2 2023: Ovidio Guzmán López arrested in Mexico.
- 3 2023: Federal authorities described "Chapitos" operation as major effort to send fentanyl into US.
- 4 July 2024: Joaquín Guzmán López and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada arrested in Texas.
- 5 July 2024: Dramatic capture prompted surge in violence in Mexico’s northern state of Sinaloa.
- 6 Months prior to July 11, 2025: Speculation about a plea deal percolated.
- 7 Recent months: Ovidio Guzmán López signaled intent to change plea.
- 8 Friday (July 11, 2025): Ovidio Guzmán López pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate.
- 9 Future: Ovidio Guzmán López's sentencing postponed.
- Ovidio Guzmán López faces sentencing
- Potential cooperation with US authorities
- Possible "roadmap" to cartel operations
- Potential impact on other family members' cases
- Surge in violence in Sinaloa after other arrests
- Criticism from Mexican president regarding US policy
What: Ovidio Guzmán López, a leader of the Sinaloa cartel, pleaded guilty to multiple drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms charges in the US.
When: Friday (July 11, 2025) for the plea. Speculation about a deal for months. Joaquín Guzmán López and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada arrested in July 2024. Ovidio Guzmán López arrested in Mexico in 2023. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán convicted in 2019.
Where: United States (specifically, the plea occurred there). Mexico (for Ovidio's arrest and cartel operations). Texas (for other arrests). Sinaloa (Mexico, for cartel clashes).
Why: To resolve the charges against him, potentially in exchange for a reduced sentence and to provide information on cartel operations. The US government aims to dismantle cartel operations and combat the fentanyl crisis.
How: Through a plea agreement with US prosecutors, where Guzmán López admitted to overseeing drug production and smuggling.