El Chapo’s son pleads not guilty to narcotics, money laundering and firearms charges

A son of the notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other federal charges on Tuesday, just days after he was taken into custody alongside his father's former business partner in an alleged act of betrayal.

In his first court appearance since the arrests last week, Joaquin Guzman Lopez entered the plea at a Chicago federal court and was ordered to remain detained pending trial. Wearing an orange jumpsuits and ankle chains, Guzman Lopez declined an interpreter and answered most questions in the packed courtroom by saying "Yes, your honor" or "No, your honor."

Guzman Lopez along with his three brothers — known as Los Chapitos, or the "little Chapos" — were indicted by a federal grand jury in Illinois on narcotics, money laundering and firearms charges in 2023. Guzman Lopez could face the death penalty if convicted.

The four sons of El Chapo became key figures in Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel in recent years after their father was extradited to the United States in 2017 and incarcerated in 2019. Guzman Lopez and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia, the co-founder and longtime leader of the cartel, were arrested last Thursday by federal authorities at a small airport in New Mexico near El Paso, Texas.

They face multiple charges for leading the criminal operations of what is considered to be the world’s most powerful organized crime organization. Zambada briefly appeared in federal court in El Paso last Friday and pleaded not guilty to seven charges, the El Paso Times, part of the USA TODAY network, reported.

In the days since the arrests, Zambada's lawyer has alleged that Guzman Lopez kidnapped the drug lord as part of a deal to negotiate a better plea agreement with U.S. authorities. Mexican authorities have opened an investigation into the accusations.

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Joaquin Guzman Lopez accused of betraying 'El Mayo'

Last week, U.S. officials said Zambada and Guzman Lopez were taken into custody in El Paso, Texas. Officials familiar with situation told Reuters that Guzman Lopez had tricked Zambada into boarding a private plane, saying they were going to check out real estate in northern Mexico.

Instead, the plane transported both the men to a small airport in New Mexico near the U.S.-Mexico border, where Guzman Lopez had planned to surrender but Zambada had not.

Criminal defense lawyer Frank Perez previously told USA TODAY that his client, Zambada, did not get on the plane of his own accord.

"My client neither surrendered nor negotiated any terms with the U.S. government," Perez said in a statement given exclusively to USA TODAY. "Joaquin Guzman Lopez forcibly kidnapped my client. He was ambushed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed by six men in military uniforms and Joaquin."

When asked about the allegations after court on Tuesday, Guzman Lopez's lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman said authorities have not accused his client of kidnapping.

"When the government accuses him, then I'll take notice," Lichtman told reporters. "When lawyers who are trying to score points with the media make accusations ... doesn't move the ball forward."

History of Sinaloa Cartel

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the world's most powerful drug cartels and is largely responsible for the trafficking of several illicit drugs — including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl — into the United States. Founded in the late 1980s, the crime organization was led by El Chapo and Zambada for decades.

El Chapo captured public attention as Mexico's most infamous cartel leader and gained further notoriety for his two successful prison escapes from maximum-security prisons in Mexico. Current and former federal authorities have called Zambada the "brains" and El Chapo's son the "muscle" of the cartel, who widened the organization's reach as one of the biggest exporters of fentanyl.

The cartel has been blamed for its role in the ongoing Mexican drug war that has contributed to tens of thousands of homicides in the country each year. U.S. authorities have also attributed the country's drug crisis to the cartel.

Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 49, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The drug has "fueled the opioid epidemic that has been ravaging families and communities" across the country, the Justice Department said.

"The Sinaloa Cartel pioneered the manufacture of fentanyl and has for years trafficked it into our country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans and devastating countless communities," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.

Contributing: Lauren Villagran and Josh Meyer, USA TODAY; Reuters