U.S. prosecutors won't seek death penalty for son of Mexican drug cartel leader 'El Chapo'

Federal prosecutors won’t question the decease punishment for the lad of notorious Mexican cause kingpin “El Chapo” if helium is convicted of aggregate charges successful Chicago.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence announcement Friday saying helium would not question the decease punishment against Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The announcement did not connection immoderate explanation.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s attorney, listed successful online tribunal records arsenic Jeffrey Lichtman, said successful an email to The Associated Press connected Tuesday that helium was pleased with the determination “as it’s the close one.”

“Joaquin and I are looking guardant to resolving the charges against him,” Lichtman said.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s begetter is Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, erstwhile person of the Sinaloa cartel. According to national prosecutors, El Chapo smuggled mountains of cocaine and different drugs into the United States implicit 25 years. He was convicted successful 2019 connected aggregate conspiracy counts and sentenced to beingness successful a U.S. situation aboriginal that year.

Prosecutors allege Joaquin Guzman Lopez and his brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the cartel known arsenic the “Chapitos,” oregon small Chapos, that has been identified arsenic a main exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. Prosecutors unsealed sweeping indictments successful 2023 against dozens of members of the Sinaloa cartel, including the brothers.

Federal authorities arrested Joaquin Guzman Lopez and different longtime Sinaloa leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, successful July successful Texas aft they landed successful the U.S. connected a backstage plane.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez has been indicted connected 8 counts, including wealth laundering, cause dealing and conspiracy to administer drugs. He has pleaded not guilty.

Zambada has said Joaquin Guzman Lopez kidnapped him and brought him to the U.S. He faces aggregate counts successful national tribunal successful New York, including planetary organisation of cocaine, wealth laundering and manufacturing drugs for amerciable importation. He has pleaded not guilty.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested successful Mexico successful 2023 and extradited to the United States. He is charged successful national tribunal successful Chicago with wealth laundering, cause and firearm offenses. He has pleaded not guilty, but online tribunal records bespeak that helium is scheduled to look successful tribunal connected July 9 to alteration his plea arsenic portion of a woody with prosecutors.

Lichtman is besides representing Ovidio Guzman Lopez. He declined successful an email to supply immoderate details astir an agreement.