The son of the world's most infamous drug lord has admitted his role in a multi-billion dollar narcotics operation. Joaquín Guzmán López, the 39-year-old son of imprisoned kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, entered a guilty plea in a United States federal court on Tuesday, 2 December 2025.
A Damning Admission in Court
Guzmán López confessed to overseeing the transportation of enormous quantities of illegal drugs into the United States. His operations primarily utilised a network of sophisticated underground tunnels to smuggle fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin across the border. The guilty plea covers charges of drug trafficking and running a continuing criminal enterprise, a serious charge often used against organised crime leaders.
As part of a carefully negotiated plea deal, he is expected to avoid a potential life sentence. However, he still faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years. A significant condition of the agreement is that Guzmán López will have no right to appeal the sentence once it is handed down by the court.
Kidnapping Confession and Failed Cooperation
In a startling revelation, Guzmán López also admitted to orchestrating the kidnapping of an individual believed to be Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a high-ranking leader within the Sinaloa cartel. Prosecutors stated this act was an attempt by Guzmán López to demonstrate his willingness to cooperate with US authorities.
However, this drastic move has backfired. The US government has confirmed that this kidnapping will not earn him any formal cooperation credit that could lead to a further reduced sentence. This decision underscores the complex and often fraught dynamics within cartel hierarchies and their interactions with the justice system.
A Family Enterprise: Following His Brother's Path
This case is not an isolated event within the Guzmán family. Joaquín Guzmán López's brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, entered a strikingly similar plea deal in July of this year. Both brothers were accused of operating a powerful faction of the Sinaloa cartel following their father's extradition to the US and subsequent life sentence.
The consecutive guilty pleas from El Chapo's sons mark a significant, though not conclusive, chapter in the US government's protracted campaign against the cartel's leadership. While it removes two key figures from the board, the sprawling nature of the organisation means its operations are likely to continue under other commanders.
The statement from the Special Agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations following the plea highlights the ongoing priority of dismantling transnational cartels responsible for flooding communities with deadly drugs, particularly the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
