Wife of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman now free again

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of imprisoned drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, was released Wednesday.

She was released from a Long Beach, Calif., halfway house where she had been transferred after being released from a Texas federal prison in June.

Guzman was the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which is known for its kidnappings and heavily armed militia, prior to his 2019 conviction for drug and gun-trafficking charges. He is currently serving a life sentence at the federal Supermax facility in Colorado.

After his conviction, three of Guzman's sons, known colloquially as "Los Chapitos," have taken over leadership roles in the organization.

In May, one of "Los Chapitos" Joaquin Guzman Lopez, was sanctioned by the United States for his alleged involvement in fentanyl trafficking.

Aispuro was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 for drug and money laundering charges.

"We can confirm Emma Coronel Aispuro released from custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) today, September 13, 2023," FBOP spokesperson Randilee Giamusso told CNN.

Aispuro was released prior to completing her three-year sentence, which has raised questions about why she was released at this particular date.

Giamusso told CNN, "for privacy, safety, and security, the FBOP does not provide additional information on those who are no longer in our custody."