Wed May 28 03:41:36 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**US Prosecutors Drop Death Penalty Option for ‘El Chapo’ Son in Drug Trafficking Case**

**CHICAGO, IL -** Federal prosecutors have announced they will not seek the death penalty for Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, should he be convicted on drug trafficking charges.

A one-sentence notice filed on May 23rd in Chicago federal court confirmed the decision, leaving the reason unexplained. Guzman Lopez, 38, faces multiple charges related to drug trafficking, conspiracy, and money laundering, stemming from his alleged leadership role in the Sinaloa Cartel following his father’s extradition to the U.S. in 2017. He and his brothers were indicted in 2023.

“Joaquin and I are looking forward to resolving the charges against him,” his lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, told the Associated Press, expressing satisfaction with the prosecutor’s decision. Guzman Lopez has pleaded not guilty to the charges, one of which carried the potential death sentence due to the alleged commission of crimes on U.S. soil.

Guzman Lopez was apprehended in July 2024 at a New Mexico airfield, alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, another alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader. Zambada has also pleaded not guilty, but his lawyer has indicated a willingness to consider a guilty plea in exchange for assurances that the death penalty will be off the table.

Another of the “Chapitos” brothers, Ovidio Guzman, is expected to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges at a hearing in Chicago on July 9th.

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison in Colorado. The case against his son is ongoing.

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