A federal judge in Chicago postponed the next hearing in the trial against Ovidio Guzmán López to October 21, which was scheduled for next Monday.
Judge Sharon Johnson ordered the postponement without giving reasons. The hearing is to review the status of the case against the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who since September 2023 was presented in Chicago to face 22 charges of continuous criminal enterprise, drug trafficking and money laundering, among others.
June 17 was the last time that Ovidio Guzmán, alias “El Ratón”, appeared in person before the judge, to hear progress of the process, which included the delivery of evidence to the defense by the prosecution.
On July 23, however, Guzmán was released from the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center where he had been held, and although he remains in custody, his whereabouts are unknown.
Two days later, Ovidio’s brother, Joaquín Guzmán López, surrendered to the United States, a country where he arrived on a flight that also carried the historical leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, whom he apparently kidnapping.
On August 30, the FGR stated that the release of Ovidio Guzmán is directly related to his brother’s operation to kidnap “Mayo” Zambada and surrender in the United States.
The agreement to postpone Ovidio’s hearing until October indicates that, at least in theory, the case against him remains open, since there was no record of activity in the Court since the arrest of “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán.
The latter was also taken to Chicago and appeared before Judge Johnson on July 30, when he pleaded not guilty. His next hearing is scheduled, precisely, for Monday, September 30.
