Joaquín Guzmán Date of Birth and Early Life
Joaquín Guzmán Loera was born on April 4, 1957, in La Tuna, Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico. His date of birth is consistently cited by U.S. court filings and Mexican government records, confirming his origins in a rural agricultural community that later became central to drug trafficking routes. This background shaped his early exposure to illicit economies and smuggling networks that defined his career. Learn more about his early life and rise.
Guzmán adopted multiple aliases, including El Chapo, for his short stature and aggressive demeanor. His birth date is used in extradition documents, Interpol notices, and U.S. federal indictments to establish identity across jurisdictions. Public records link his date of birth to a series of escalating operations in the Sinaloa Cartel during the 1980s and 1990s. Review the DEA fact sheet on El Chapo.
Cartel Leadership and Criminal Operations
Rise Within the Sinaloa Cartel
Guzmán rose through the ranks of the Guadalajara Cartel before co-founding the Sinaloa Cartel, which became one of the most powerful trafficking organizations in Mexico. His operational timeline, anchored by his date of birth, aligns with key periods of cocaine and methamphetamine smuggling into the United States. U.S. authorities estimate his network moved multi-ton quantities of narcotics across the border over several decades. Read the DOJ sentencing details.
Key Operations and Convictions
Federal juries in New York convicted Guzmán on all counts in 2019 after a trial that detailed his role in coordinating shipments, bribing officials, and using violence to control supply chains. The conviction referenced specific dates, routes, and quantities that trace back to his long career in trafficking. His date of birth appears in court exhibits to confirm his identity when aliases were presented by defense and prosecution alike. Get the New York Times trial coverage.
Current Status and Public Records
Joaquín Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence plus 30 years in a U.S. federal supermax facility following his 2019 conviction and 2024 denial of a resentencing motion. His date of birth remains a fixed identifier in Bureau of Prisons records, extradition treaties, and ongoing asset forfeiture proceedings. Public filings confirm he is held under restrictive conditions due to escape risks and high-profile status. Check BOP inmate locator.
Legacy and Financial Forfeiture
U.S. courts ordered the forfeiture of $12.6 billion tied to Guzmán’s drug trafficking profits, with enforcement actions targeting properties, businesses, and accounts linked to his network. His date of birth is used in financial crime databases to cross-reference transactions and entity registrations associated with