Two smugglers were found guilty on Tuesday for their involvement in a horrifying trafficking operation that resulted in the deaths of 53 foreign nationals, including several children.
In 2022, 67 illegal aliens were found trapped inside a tractor-trailer with no air conditioning, abandoned on the side of a San Antonio road after being smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border. More than 50 of the individuals, including six children and a pregnant woman, died, making it the deadliest smuggling event in U.S. history.
‘Human smugglers prioritize, over anything else, money and profit.’
Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, two Mexican nationals, face up to life in prison after a jury convicted them following a two-week trial and three hours of deliberations. They are scheduled for sentencing on June 27 — the three-year anniversary of the deadly operation.
Orduna-Torres was described as one of the smuggling group’s leaders and Gonzales-Ortega as a coordinator. The illegal immigrants had reportedly paid the smugglers between $12,000 and $15,000 each.
The men were convicted on all charges, including 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, Fox News Digital reported.
According to KENS, federal prosecutors shared evidence that the men had participated in 16 other smuggling operations and had cartel ties.
A 26-year-old Guatemalan national who survived the deadly event shared her testimony, stating that the trapped illegal immigrants had screamed for help. She said that she had no water and noted that the smugglers had confiscated cell phones before illegally trafficking them across the border.
Eric Fuchsen, assistant U.S. attorney with the Western District of Texas, described photographs of the inside of the trailer that showed “claw marks from when they were desperately clawing at the sides trying to get out.”
Craig Larrabee, special agent in charge with Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio, stated, “The disregard for human life shows how human smugglers prioritize, over anything else, money and profit.”
“The greed of these men ultimately led to their convictions,” he said.
Five other men, including the driver, previously pleaded guilty in connection to the deadly smuggling event. All face sentencing later this year. One suspect linked to the operation remains a fugitive, while others have faced charges in Mexico and Guatemala.
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