'El Chapo' Guzman's wife awaits judge's prison sentence

The U.S. Attorney's Office requested a four-year prison sentence for Emma Coronel, the wife of Mexican drug trafficker Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán Loera who was recently convicted of three crimes related to international drug trafficking and money laundering.

In addition to the prison sentence, authorities ordered the forfeiture of $1.5 million, according to court documents filed in a District of Columbia federal court.

‘El Chapo,’ who is serving a life sentence in Colorado, is accused of "knowingly and intentionally" conspiring to commit those crimes from 2011 through Jan. 19, 2017.

On June 10, 'El Chapo's wife pleaded guilty to two crimes related to the importation of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine into the United States and money laundering. She also pleaded guilty in another matter related to the operation of El Chapo's commercial and residential properties during their marriage.

The prosecution asserts that from the time of her marriage to the Sinaloa Cartel leader in 2007 until his arrest on February 22, 2021, Coronel knowingly benefited from the drug trafficking profits obtained by her husband.

In her plea agreement with the prosecution last June, Coronel admitted that she participated minimally in the drug-trafficking activities and noted her “admission of responsibility,” and requested a sentence of fewer than 10 years in prison.

By pleading guilty, the 31-year-old Mexican national avoided facing a trial verdict and a harsher allocution from prosecutors.

Several press reports noted that her voluntary surrender followed negotiations with the U.S. government and Coronel's willingness to provide information to reduce the sentence that could be imposed against her.

Coronel's sentence will be announced on November 30 in a federal court in Washington D.C.