Federal prosecutors in the US will not pursue the death sentence for Joaquin Guzman Lopez if he is found guilty, as indicated by court documents.
Media reports indicate that federal prosecutors in Chicago filed a notice on May 23 stating their decision not to pursue the death penalty for Joaquin Guzman Lopez, who currently faces drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Joaquin’s father, the former leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, is serving a life sentence in a US prison.
The notice from the prosecutors did not provide any reasons for the decision or additional details.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez and three of his brothers, known as the “Chapitos,” were indicted in 2023 for US drug trafficking and money laundering following their assumption of leadership of their father’s drug cartel after “El Chapo” was extradited to the US in 2017.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s lawyer expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating it was the correct one and looking forward to resolving the charges.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez has pleaded not guilty to the five charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy, and money laundering, with one charge potentially carrying the death penalty. He was arrested alongside alleged Sinaloa Cartel cofounder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada on a New Mexico airfield in July 2024. Zambada has also pleaded not guilty but is open to pleading guilty if the death penalty is off the table.
Another brother, Ovidio Guzman, is slated to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges at a July 9 court hearing in Chicago, according to court records.
“El Chapo” Guzman is currently incarcerated at a maximum security prison in Colorado, serving a life sentence.
