Two sons of Mexican drug lord "El Chapo" are reportedly in talks with US prosecutors about a plea deal, according to legal representatives.
Both Joaquin Guzmán López, 38, and Ovidio Guzmán López, 34, have entered not guilty pleas to drug charges.
Attorneys stated that two sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, a renowned cartel leader in Mexico, are currently engaged in plea negotiations with the U.S. government regarding extensive drug trafficking charges.
Recently, Joaquin Guzmán López, 38, and his brother Ovidio Guzmán López, 34, both began plea negotiations with federal prosecutors, attorneys confirmed in a Chicago courtroom.
Neither of the brothers showed up at the brief hearing on Tuesday, and both initially pleaded not guilty.
"We require some additional time," Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine stated in court. "We are attempting to investigate the possibility of a worldwide settlement."
He did not elaborate in court and declined to talk to reporters afterward.
The "Chapitos," a faction of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, have been identified as the main exporters of fentanyl to the U.S. in recent years.
In 2023, dozens of members of the cartel, including the brothers, were indicted by federal prosecutors for fentanyl-trafficking.
In July, Joaquin Guzmán López and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada were captured by U.S. authorities in Texas, marking a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel.
Joaquin Guzmán López kidnapped Zambada and flew him on a private plane into the U.S., where he surrendered to authorities.
Zambada and Guzmán López are accused by the FBI of overseeing the trafficking of "tens of thousands of pounds of drugs into the United States, along with related violence." Zambada will appear in court in New York next week.
Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquin Guzmán López have upcoming court dates: February 27 and March 19, respectively.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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