Son of ‘El Chapo’ expected to plead guilty in drug trafficking case

CHICAGO (NewsNation) — A son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is expected to plead guilty in a sweeping U.S. drug trafficking case at a court hearing set for Friday.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, is due in Chicago federal court for a change of plea hearing, court records show. He pleaded not guilty in September 2023 to five counts of drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges.

The hearing for Guzman Lopez, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was quietly rescheduled with no public explanation. Court records indicate that Guzman Lopez intends to change his not guilty plea as part of a deal with federal prosecutors.

If finalized, it would mark the first time one of El Chapo’s sons has struck such an agreement with federal prosecutors.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez's brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, was arrested in El Paso along with Sinaloa kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada last July in a dramatic coup for U.S. authorities, who recruited Joaquin Guzman Lopez to lure Zambada into the country on a private plane.

Also known as “El Guero” or “Guero Moreno,” Joaquin Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges, and prosecutors say they will not pursue the death penalty against him.

Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with El Chapo, has also pleaded not guilty. In February, his lawyer told Reuters he would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors agreed to spare him the death penalty.

El Chapo is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado after his 2019 drug trafficking conviction.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.