Captivating Update: El Chapo’s Wife Is Set to be Released

UPDATE


Sep 13, 2023 1:09 AM CDT

In a surprising turn of events, the wife of infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is set to be released from a Los Angeles prison on Wednesday. Emma Coronel Aispuro, 34, originally sentenced to three years in 2021, had her sentence reduced, as reported by the Guardian. She will now serve two years of supervised release. Meanwhile, Guzman, currently serving a life sentence in Colorado, has requested permission for Coronel Aispuro and their daughters to visit him.

Nov 30, 2021 5:14 PM CST

The wife of notorious Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman received a three-year prison sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to assisting her husband in running his multibillion-dollar criminal empire. Emma Coronel Aispuro also played a key role in planning Guzman’s dramatic 2015 prison escape by smuggling a GPS watch disguised as a food item, which helped those digging the tunnel locate and reach the incarcerated leader of the Sinaloa cartel. However, he was recaptured the following year.

Prosecutors had initially sought a four-year prison term, but US District Judge Rudolph Contreras opted for a shorter sentence, recognizing that Coronel Aispuro’s involvement was relatively minor compared to the larger drug organization, according to the AP. The judge noted that her arrest did not appear to have significantly reduced the harm caused by the cartel, stating that there were still willing participants. Coronel Aispuro faced a minimum of 10 years imprisonment, but a provision known as the “safety valve” helped reduce her sentence as she had no criminal record, was not considered a leader, and was not involved in acts of violence. Defense attorneys also emphasized that she was only 17 when she met and married Guzman, coming from an impoverished background.

Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman argued that Coronel Aispuro’s involvement began when she was a vulnerable minor married to a much older and powerful man. During her court appearance, she expressed sincere regret and sought forgiveness through a Spanish translator. She pleaded for a sentence that would allow her to witness the growth of her 9-year-old twin daughters. Under a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, she previously pleaded guilty to three federal offenses and surrendered $1.5 million. The charges included conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine, along with a money-laundering conspiracy charge. She also admitted to engaging in transactions with a foreign narcotics trafficker. (Read more Emma Coronel stories.)