Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, reached an agreement with the United States Department of Justice to plead guilty to drug trafficking-related offenses. According to the Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois, based in Chicago, Ovidio is expected to serve a sentence estimated to be between five and seven years in prison, depending on Judge Johnson's ruling.
The information provided by Ovidio could be used by the Department of Justice to take action against other Mexican drug traffickers in custody in the United States. The announcement of this agreement is also expected in the case of Joaquín Guzmán López, Ovidio's brother, who is involved in a similar judicial process.
Judge Sharon Johnson was notified by prosecutors of the agreement reached, leading to the suspension of the scheduled hearing for May 12. Instead, an in-person hearing has been scheduled for June 9, where the plea will be formalized.
Since the beginning of the judicial process, Ovidio's attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, who also represents his brother Joaquín in the same court, indicated that both were negotiating a cooperation agreement with U.S. authorities. "The government must provide the court with a courtesy copy of the plea agreement at least three days before the hearing," the court document states.
In the June 9 hearing, the terms of the agreement will be revealed, which would include the provision of information about drug trafficking networks in Mexico and possible ties to drug lords, military personnel, officials, and politicians. In exchange, Guzmán López would avoid a trial that could lead to a life sentence. However, the agreement does not guarantee him immediate freedom.
