Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, once a menacing figure in the world of drug cartels, finds himself back in the news. Currently, he endures a life sentence at ADX Florence in Colorado, a prison dubbed by Reuters as the most secure “supermax” penitentiary in the United States.
Dubbed the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” ADX Florence boasts 500 cells meticulously crafted from poured concrete, each designed to be completely escape-proof, according to The New York Times. This facility’s formidable reputation underscores its status as a fortress impossible to breach.
Inmates within these walls typically remain confined to their cells for 23 hours daily, with only narrow windows offering a glimpse of the outside world. Despite the isolation, prisoners do have limited access to certain television programs and a small commissary. Nonetheless, El Chapo faced further restrictions in 2024 when CBS News reported that his appeal to receive phone calls and visits from his daughters was denied.
Back in 2019, the infamous drug lord, notorious for masterminding the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, and a myriad of other illegal drugs, was convicted on 10 federal counts. These charges included drug trafficking and money laundering, ultimately leading to his life imprisonment.
These convictions were a direct consequence of his leadership role in the Sinaloa Cartel. Under his guidance, the cartel blossomed into a sprawling global trafficking empire, leaving a trail of crime and corruption across continents.
Inside El Chapo’s Escapes From Prison
Back in 1993, he was arrested in Guatemala. He was then extradited to Mexico, where he was tried and acquitted on charges of murder but found guilty of drug trafficking and possession of firearms. He was eventually sentenced to more than 20 years in a maximum-security prison. Even while incarcerated, El Chapo continued to control the Sinaloa Cartel.
Nearly a decade later, he escaped from prison by hiding in a laundry cart and remained free until 2014, when he was captured by authorities.
However, the following year, El Chapo escaped again, this time through a nearly mile-long tunnel connected to the shower in his cell. Ultimately, authorities recaptured him the following year.
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El Chapo was subsequently extradited to the United States, where he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
El Chapo’s Wife Emma Coronel Aispuro Released From Prison
His wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, was convicted of charges including money laundering and drug trafficking. After serving nearly 3 years in prison, she was released in September 2023. She was ordered to pay $1.5 million in forfeiture and serve four years of supervised release.
Today, the mom of 15-year-old twins Emali Guadalupe Guzmán Coronel and María Joaquina Guzmán Coronel lives “one day at a time” as she explained in Oxygen’s Married to El Chapo: Emma Coronel Speaks.
“Since I got out of prison, I’ve been working on different projects,” she said. “My parents have also been helping me. It hasn’t been easy.”
She also offered an apology to those impacted by the cartel’s violence.
“I sympathize with all the people who lost a loved one, who have suffered,” she said. “Truly, truly, I am very sorry.”
Sons’ Legal Troubles Related to Drug Trafficking Charges
Meanwhile, two of El Chapo’s sons, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López—with second wife Griselda López Pérez—have pleaded guilty to charges related to drug trafficking. Ovidio pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. Joaquín pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.
Plus, his sons Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar and Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar—with his first wife María Alejandrina Salazar Hernández—remain fugitives, according to the Department of Justice. Rewards of up to $10 million each have been offered for information leading to their arrests or convictions.