Joaquín Guzmán López sentencing hearing postponed to 2027

A federal court in Chicago has postponed the sentencing preparation hearing for Joaquín Guzmán López, known as ‘El Güero,’ until March 1, 2027. The hearing, originally scheduled for August 31, will be presided over by Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Guzmán López, the son of Sinaloa Cartel founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025, to two federal charges: conspiracy to traffic drugs and participation in a continuing criminal enterprise. As part of a cooperation agreement with U.S. authorities, he has agreed to act as an active collaborator, though officials clarified he will not receive cooperation credit for the capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García.

The defendant faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, along with an $80 million forfeiture of assets related to his crimes. His cooperation is expected to assist the Department of Justice in ongoing investigations involving other members of the ‘Los Chapitos’ faction.