Two Mexican Nationals Found Guilty in Deadliest Human Smuggling Case
Two Mexican nationals, Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, have been found guilty of their roles in the deadliest human smuggling event in U.S. history. They face life in prison and will be sentenced on June 27, the three-year anniversary of the crime.
In 2022, 53 immigrants died in the back of a sweltering tractor trailer with no air conditioning in San Antonio. The trailer, abandoned on the side of the road, held 67 illegal immigrants, including children, who had been smuggled across the border.
Jurors in federal court in San Antonio took only an hour to convict Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega, finding them part of a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death and injury. The trial lasted two weeks.
The migrants, who paid between $12,000 and $15,000 each to be smuggled, included 27 from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala, and two from El Salvador. The dead included six children and a pregnant woman.
conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy; transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death; and transportation of illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
Five other men have previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in the case, including the truck driver, Homero Zamorano Jr. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Several others have been charged in Mexico and Guatemala.
"This case exemplifies why we all must pay attention. Human smuggling is dehumanizing. It's dangerous and it can be deadly. Smuggling victims are often subject to rape, kidnapping, extortion, exploitation and more. It will not stand. Our resolve in tackling these crimes will not waver," said Matthew Gagliotti, Acting Head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
8 Comments
Martin L King
This case highlights the need for humane immigration reform. We need a system that allows people to migrate legally and safely.
Rolihlahla
This is a victory for the victims and their families. I hope it sends a strong message to other smugglers.
G P Floyd Jr
This is a reminder of the dangers of illegal immigration. People should not risk their lives by crossing the border illegally.
Rolihlahla
This is a complex issue with no easy solutions. We need to address the root causes of poverty and violence in Central America to prevent people from feeling the need to migrate illegally.
Comandante
This is a sad reminder of the desperation and despair that drive people to take such risks.
Muchacha
This case shows that law enforcement is taking human smuggling seriously and will prosecute those responsible.
Mariposa
This is a call to action for all of us to raise awareness about the dangers of human smuggling and advocate for humane immigration reform.
Muchacho
It's outrageous that these smugglers charged people thousands of dollars to be treated like cargo and left to die in a hot truck.