Sinaloa Cartel Boss El Chapo's Godson Freed From U.S. Prison, but Mexico Wants Him Extradited to Face Charges for Murder of Journalist

A San Diego judge has sentenced a godson of Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera to a little more than five years for his role in the Mexican drug cartel.

Damaso Lopez-Serrano, 34, known as 'Mini Lic," is a son of former Sinaloa cartel lieutenant Damaso Lopez Nuñez, alias "El Licenciado." U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw on Friday sentenced Lopez-Serrano to a term equal to his time in custody, with no additional prison time.

He was also ordered to forfeit $1 million in drug proceeds. It was a part of his plea agreement, in which he also admitted to being a cartel leader and coordinating the shipments of tons of drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin into the U.S.

According to San Diego Union-Tribune, it remains unclear why El Chapo's godson did not face the minimum mandatory 10-year prison term. It was also unclear if he would be released or deported back to Mexico.

The judge reportedly granted him leniency for voluntarily surrendering himself to U.S. authorities at a California border crossing in August 2017. Citing the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, Mexico News Daily reported that El Chapo's godson was released from a jail in San Diego, California, on Friday.

Mexico Wants the United States to Hand Over El Chapo's Godson of Sinaloa Cartel

According to Vice News, it seems that Damaso Lopez-Serrano won't become a free man just yet as Mexico has expressed that it wants El Chapo's godson too. Sabraw said Lopez-Serrano is still subject to an "immigration detainer," which means he could face deportation to Mexico.

Mexican officials reportedly requested El Chapo's godson to be sent back to his home country to face charges related to the May 2017 murder of Javier Valdez-Cárdenas, a Sinaloan journalist.

His father was also implicated in the case, but both father and son denied involvement. They alleged that they were being framed for the journalist's killing by El Chapo's sons, known as Los Chapitos, and corrupt Mexican officials, which several U.S. law enforcement officials believed.

Mexico Insists on El Chapo Godson's Extradition Back to the Country

Damaso Lopez-Serrano apparently fled the brutal drug war as factions within the Sinaloa Cartel vied for leadership. He was targeted by Los Chapitos when his father was extradited into the United States and helped the prosecution in convicting El Chapo.

His father, "El Licenciado," was close to El Chapo as his right-hand man in the Sinaloa Cartel before turning on him in court. El Chapo's godson was also reportedly ready to take the stand against his godfather but was never called to court.

On Saturday, Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR) said it obtained an arrest warrant for Lopez-Serrano in 2020 and started the process to have him extradited to Mexico at that time, with Interpol issuing a Red Notice for him.

The FGR noted that the extradition request awaits his "due compliance" with his sentence in the U.S., adding that it would now "insist" on El Chapo godson's extradition to Mexico as soon as possible.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Estados Unidos Liberará a Dámaso López Serrano, El Mini Lic - From Excelsior TV