Chicago. Brothers Ovidio and Joquín Guzmán López are in negotiations with prosecutors about a new plea agreement, it was revealed in the former’s hearing this Monday in the Northern District Court in Illinois.
According to information from La Opinión, lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman, who represents both, acknowledged that there is this dialogue with the prosecutors, but there is no firm decision, which they must make before January 7, 2025, when it is the next hearing.
“We are in the process of discussing an agreement,” Lichtman said at a press conference after the hearing. He stated that it was possible that there was still no agreement for the next hearing. “We asked for an agreement to talk about the plea agreement.”
Licthman indicated that the cases of Ovidio Guzmán López and his brother Joaquín are “two separate cases,” so it is not certain that they will have an agreement at the same time or under the same conditions.
“The government sees them very differently, due to their records,” he indicated.
Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman questioned Ovidio Guzmán if he accepted that his brother had the same lawyer. “Yes,” answered Joaquín’s son. El Chapo Guzmán.
The hearing occurred after last Thursday, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) reported that Ovidio Guzmán López returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center, after being unregistered for several weeks, sparking suspicions of a possible agreement with prosecutors.
“They are both in prison,” Lichtman told reporters in court. “They have never been out of prison.”
Now the one who is not in the BOP system is Joaquín Guzmán López, who had a hearing in the same court a few days ago, without significant changes in his case.
Although the judicial processes of both brothers are moving towards a trial, it is now more certain that they will reach an agreement with prosecutors before a trial date is established before a jury, so that they cooperate with other investigations.
He was asked if the brothers, also known as part of Los Chapitoscould be part of the trial of Ismael May Zambada. Lichtman laughed and joked about it, but in the end he acknowledged that “anything was possible.”
A crestfallen Ovid
Ovidio Guzmán López entered Judge Colemenan’s courtroom at 10:35 am, escorted by four US Marshals officers. He was wearing chains on his feet. He looked crestfallen, very thin, wearing an orange prisoner’s uniform.
The judge questioned him about whether he agreed that Attorney Lichtman will represent him and his brother.
“Yes,” he said briefly. He added that he had already spoken with his lawyer.
“Do you understand that a decision about your brother could affect him? You won’t be able to come and tell me then,” the judge snapped.
“I understand,” said Ovidio Guzmán. He did it in Spanish and the same translator who told him the events expressed the question to the judge.
Ovidio Guzmán López is accused of five crimes: (1) sell or conspire to distribute or dispense a controlled substance; (2) leading a criminal enterprise on an ongoing basis; (3) attempted or conspiracy to import a controlled substance or narcotics; (4) money laundering and transportation of stolen goods; (5) violent crimes or use of firearms.
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