El Chapo's son would not face death penalty
The Sinaloa Cartel, led by El Chapo's sons, is responsible for 80% of drug trafficking in Chicago according to the DEA.
Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo, has been in custody for more than two years in a federal trafficking case in Chicago. Recently, a legal filing showed that he will not face the death penalty, according to federal prosecutors.
According to NBC Chicago, avoiding the capital punishment could be related to the cooperation agreements between Chapo's family and the U.S. government. However, the news media also said that it is more likely to be a result of an extradition agreement that forbids the death sentence for Mexican citizens.
Why does Chapo's son avoid the death sentence?
According to a short court filing obtained by NBC Chicago, there is no official explanation for removing that sentence from the cases against him. The document only says that "if the defendant is convicted, the government will not seek the death sentence." Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman received this letter from U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros.
“We’re pleased with the decision not to seek the death penalty, as it’s the correct one,” said Guzmán’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, to NBC Chicago. “We have no plea agreement with the government, and its decision not to seek the death penalty will not be part of any future agreement either, assuming we reach such an agreement.”
Mexican Federal Police can not stop the Sinaloa's cartel operations, even when they caught El Chapo, the leader of the gang. Photo: EFE
Who leads the Sinaloa Cartel now?
When El Chapo Guzmán was sentenced to life in the U.S., his four sons took the helm of the Mexican crime organization. About 400,000 drug cartel-related murders have been happening in Mexico during the past 20 years. The Sinaloa Cartel is considered by their authorities one of the most violent and dangerous illicit drug organizations in the nation.
In Chicago, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sinaloa Cartel drugs account for up to 80% of all commerce in the city. That is why, when the Sinaloa operatives are active, violence usually affects the streets. According to NBC Chicago, in the U.S., there are 17 other relatives of Guzmán’s family who were whisked from Mexico.
