Smugglers Found Guilty in Deadly Texas Migrant Trafficking Case

Two smugglers, Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, were found guilty on Tuesday after a two-week trial for their role in the deadly human smuggling attempt that claimed the lives of 53 immigrants in San Antonio in 2022. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before delivering the verdict in federal court.

A Nation's Deadliest Smuggling Attempt

The tragic incident, the deadliest smuggling attempt along the U.S.-Mexico border, unfolded when a tractor-trailer with no air conditioning was used to transport immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The victims had paid between $12,000 and $15,000 each to be smuggled into the United States. They were driven from Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio, enduring a sweltering three-hour journey.

As temperatures inside the trailer soared, those trapped inside screamed, banged on the walls for help, and desperately tried to claw their way out. Ultimately, most passed out due to the extreme heat. Upon arrival in San Antonio, 48 individuals were found dead inside the trailer. Another 16 were rushed to hospitals, where tragically, five more succumbed to their injuries.

The Victims and The Perpetrators

Among the victims were six children and a pregnant woman, highlighting the devastating human cost of this illegal operation. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas stated in a news conference after the verdict, “These defendants knew the air conditioning did not work. Nevertheless, they disregarded the danger.” Orduna-Torres was identified as the leader of the smuggling group within the United States, while Gonzales-Ortega served as his "right-hand man."

Justice Served

Both convicted smugglers face a potential sentence of life in prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 27. Five other men previously pleaded guilty to felony charges related to the smuggling case. Among them is Homero Zamorano Jr., the truck driver who was found hiding near the trailer. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Christian Martinez, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, and Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao are the other individuals who pleaded guilty. They are also awaiting sentencing later this year. Leachman confirmed that one person charged in the United States remains a fugitive, while several others face charges in Mexico and Guatemala.

A Recurring Tragedy

This incident is the most recent in a series of tragedies that have claimed thousands of lives as people attempt to cross the U.S. border from Mexico. In 2017, ten immigrants died after being trapped inside a truck parked at a Walmart in San Antonio. Furthermore, in 2003, the bodies of 19 immigrants were discovered in a sweltering truck southeast of San Antonio.