Latest news with #Orduna-Torres
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
2 Mexican nationals found guilty in deadliest human smuggling event in US history
Two Mexican nationals have been found guilty of their roles in the deadliest human smuggling event in U.S. history. Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega now face life in prison. Their sentencing will be on June 27, the three-year anniversary of the crime, FOX 29 reports. The two were charged after 53 immigrants died in the back of a sweltering tractor trailer with no air conditioning in San Antonio back in 2022. Sixty-seven illegal immigrants, including children, were found trapped in the semitrailer that had been abandoned on the side of the road after being smuggled across the border. Jurors in federal court in San Antonio took only about an hour to convict Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega, finding that they were part of a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death and injury. The trial lasted two weeks. San Antonio Migrant Deaths: Four More Arrested In Alleged Human Trafficking Operation That Left 53 Dead "It's the same day 53 persons died," the judge presiding over the trial said about the sentencing date, according to FOX 29. "Your liberty, if any, will be determined on that same date." Read On The Fox News App The migrants included 27 from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala and two from El Salvador. The dead included six children and a pregnant woman, according to The Associated Press. They had paid between $12,000 and $15,000 each to be smuggled into the United States, according to an indictment in the case obtained by the AP. 6 Migrants Dead, Dozens Missing After Shipwreck Near Italy Orduna-Torres was described as one of the leaders of the smuggling operation and Gonzales-Ortega as the coordinator. A jury found both guilty of all charges: 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 men previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in the smuggling case, including the truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., who was found hiding near the trailer in some bushes. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Also pleading guilty are Christian Martinez, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce and Juan Francisco D'Luna Bilbao. All five will be sentenced later this year. Another person charged in the U.S. remains a fugitive, Leachman said. 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," Matthew Gagliotti, Acting Head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, said, according to FOX 29. FOX News Digital's Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: 2 Mexican nationals found guilty in deadliest human smuggling event in US history
Fox News
19-03-2025
- Fox News
2 Mexican nationals found guilty in deadliest human smuggling event in US history
Two Mexican nationals have been found guilty of their roles in the deadliest human smuggling event in U.S. history. Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega now face life in prison. Their sentencing will be on June 27, the three-year anniversary of the crime, FOX 29 reports. The two were charged after 53 immigrants died in the back of a sweltering tractor trailer with no air conditioning in San Antonio back in 2022. Sixty-seven illegal immigrants, including children, were found trapped in the semitrailer that had been abandoned on the side of the road after being smuggled across the border. Jurors in federal court in San Antonio took only about an hour to convict Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega, finding that they were part of a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death and injury. The trial lasted two weeks. "It's the same day 53 persons died," the judge presiding over the trial said about the sentencing date, according to FOX 29. "Your liberty, if any, will be determined on that same date." The migrants included 27 from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala and two from El Salvador. The dead included six children and a pregnant woman, according to The Associated Press. They had paid between $12,000 and $15,000 each to be smuggled into the United States, according to an indictment in the case obtained by the AP. Orduna-Torres was described as one of the leaders of the smuggling operation and Gonzales-Ortega as the coordinator. A jury found both guilty of all charges: 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 men previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in the smuggling case, including the truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., who was found hiding near the trailer in some bushes. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Also pleading guilty are Christian Martinez, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce and Juan Francisco D'Luna Bilbao. All five will be sentenced later this year. Another person charged in the U.S. remains a fugitive, Leachman said. 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," Matthew Gagliotti, Acting Head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, said, according to FOX 29.
CNN
19-03-2025
- CNN
Jury convicts two men in smuggling operation that killed 53 migrants
Two men involved in a smuggling operation were convicted of federal charges Tuesday for their part in a 2022 border crossing attempt that left 53 migrants dead after they were trapped in the back of of an unairconditioned tractor trailer in the hot Texas summer. Felipe Orduna-Torres, 30, and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, 55, were convicted of several charges, including conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants resulting in death. They both face of life in prison when they are sentenced in June. The June 2022 disaster was one of the deadliest smuggling attempts in American history. The migrants, who came from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, were charged between $12,000 to $15,000 each to embark on the journey, which ended in San Antonio, Texas. 'These defendants knew the air conditioning did not work,' Margaret Leachman, the acting US attorney for the Western District of Texas, said at a press conference after the verdict. 'Nevertheless, they disregarded the danger.' Orduna-Torres was the 'lead organizer' of the smuggling group, she said, and Gonzales-Ortega was his 'right-hand man.' Prosecutors alleged that Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega were part of the smuggling organization that loaded 66 migrants into the truck and drove from the border town of Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio. The temperature during the three-hour ride was sweltering, prosecutors said at trial, and migrants inside the tractor-trailer began scratching at its walls trying to escape. Others lost consciousness. When the doors of the tractor-trailer were opened in San Antonio, 48 migrants had died inside, the Justice Department said, and another five died at the hospital. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the dead. Five other men previously pleaded guilty to charges connecting to the smuggling case, including the driver of the tractor-trailer. The Justice Department also announced that another man, Rigoberto Miranda-Orozco, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges for his alleged role in the mass casualty event. Prosecutors allege that Miranda-Orozco charged several migrants, or their friends and family, for the journey – three of whom died in the tractor-trailer. He is facing six federal charges and has not yet entered a formal plea. Matthew Galeotti, who leads the Justice Department's criminal division, said in a statement Tuesday that the extradition 'sends the message that the Department of Justice will pursue human smugglers who violate U.S. law no matter where they are.' This story has been updated with additional details.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Jury convicts two men in smuggling operation that killed 53 migrants
Two men involved in a smuggling operation were convicted of federal charges Tuesday for their part in a 2022 border crossing attempt that left 53 migrants dead after they were trapped in the back of of an unairconditioned tractor trailer in the hot Texas summer. Felipe Orduna-Torres, 30, and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, 55, were convicted of several charges, including conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants resulting in death. They both face of life in prison when they are sentenced in June. The June 2022 disaster was one of the deadliest smuggling attempts in American history. The migrants, who came from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, were charged between $12,000 to $15,000 each to embark on the journey, which ended in San Antonio, Texas. 'These defendants knew the air conditioning did not work,' Margaret Leachman, the acting US attorney for the Western District of Texas, said at a press conference after the verdict. 'Nevertheless, they disregarded the danger.' Orduna-Torres was the 'lead organizer' of the smuggling group, she said, and Gonzales-Ortega was his 'right-hand man.' Prosecutors alleged that Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega were part of the smuggling organization that loaded 66 migrants into the truck and drove from the border town of Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio. The temperature during the three-hour ride was sweltering, prosecutors said at trial, and migrants inside the tractor-trailer began scratching at its walls trying to escape. Others lost consciousness. When the doors of the tractor-trailer were opened in San Antonio, 48 migrants had died inside, the Justice Department said, and another five died at the hospital. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the dead. Five other men previously pleaded guilty to charges connecting to the smuggling case, including the driver of the tractor-trailer. The Justice Department also announced that another man, Rigoberto Miranda-Orozco, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges for his alleged role in the mass casualty event. Prosecutors allege that Miranda-Orozco charged several migrants, or their friends and family, for the journey – three of whom died in the tractor-trailer. He is facing six federal charges and has not yet entered a formal plea. Matthew Galeotti, who leads the Justice Department's criminal division, said in a statement Tuesday that the extradition 'sends the message that the Department of Justice will pursue human smugglers who violate U.S. law no matter where they are.' This story has been updated with additional details.
