Two sentenced in 2022 deaths of over 50 migrants in hot San Antonio tractor-trailer
2 men sentenced in San Antonio smuggling incident
Two men have been sentenced for their roles in the deaths of over 50 migrants being smuggled inside a tractor trailer in southwest San Antonio in 2022.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Two men were sentenced Friday for their roles in the deaths of 53 migrants being smuggled inside a tractor trailer in southwest San Antonio in 2022.
Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega were found guilty in March.
Officials spoke Friday following the sentencing hearing, including U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons, Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Prosecution Team.
What they're saying:
Gonzales-Ortega was sentenced to 83 years and Orduna-Torres was sentenced to life in prison.
"These sentences will never fill the void experienced by these families," said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons.
"And the message is also, do not come to the United States illegally. Hopefully something like this doesn't happen to you, but, we are firm in our commitment to stopping the illegal movement of people from south of the border into the United States, in part to prevent tragedies like these," said USA Simmons.
A warning was also given to those who organize smuggling schemes.
"That message is this: if you think that you are safe because you find yourself outside the confines of the United States, you are incorrect. If your crime touches the United States, we are going to reach out and touch you," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Hanna, Co-Director of Joint Task Force Alpha.
Dig deeper:
The tragedy took place during the Biden Administration when a surge of migrants crossed the Texas border.
In June 2022, documents from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security indicated there were 207,834 enforcement encounters on the Southwest border.
Simmons, on Friday, claimed the Mexican Cartel cashed in on the open border situation, including the group linked to the trailer found on Quintana Rd.
"From November 2021 through June 2022, It's estimated that this cell moved approximately 1,100 people across the border. At $12,000 a piece, that's over $13 million in revenue to the cartel, just from this cell. The reality is the cartels have made billions of dollars smuggling humans across the border over the last several years. The United States has taken a whole of government approach to combating alien smuggling and illegal immigration. And by doing that, by taking this whole of government approach, we've effectively shut off a major income stream for the cartels," said Simmons.
San Antonio migrant trailer tragedy
The backstory:
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Felipe Orduna-Torres, also known as Cholo, Chuequito, and Negro, 30, and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, also known as El Don and Don Gon, 55, conspired with at least six others as part of an alien smuggling organization that loaded approximately 66 aliens into a tractor trailer, which lacked functioning air conditioning, and drove the aliens north across the U.S.-Mexico border and on a Texas interstate.
RELATED: 46 people found dead, 16 hospitalized after tractor-trailer containing migrants found in Texas
On June 27, 2022, as the temperature rose, some of the migrants inside the trailer lost consciousness, while others clawed at the walls, trying to escape.
By the time the tractor-trailer reached San Antonio, according to the evidence presented at trial, 48 migrants had already died. Another five migrants died after being transported to local hospitals. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the deceased.
Information at the trial showed the defendants conspired with others to facilitate the travel of the aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras to the United States, charging the migrants and their families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 for the journey.
"The estimate is they paid at least $12,000 each. That's $768,000 that the cartels made off of this group of people. This trip alone, $769,000. They're still enjoying that money over there in Mexico," said Simmons.
Extradited from Guatemala to the United States
What we know:
Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, an alleged leader of a Guatemala-based migrant smuggling organization, was extradited from Guatemala to the United States for his alleged role in the San Antonio mass casualty incident.
According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco conspired with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of four people from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States, charging the families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 for the deadly journey.
In particular, Miranda-Orozco is alleged to be responsible for smuggling three people who died in the tractor trailer.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Guilty plea in deadly 2022 human smuggling
In August 2024, Miranda-Orozco was arrested in Guatemala. His arrest was part of a large-scale take-down during which Guatemalan law enforcement executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala.
Miranda-Orozco made his initial appearance Monday in federal district court in San Antonio and was arraigned on the indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death, three counts of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, and one count of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
His trial is set for late September.
Dig deeper:
Five men previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in the case, including the truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., who was found hiding near the trailer and was arrested at the scene. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The other four who have previously pleaded guilty are Christian Martinez of Palestine, TX, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce and Juan Francisco D'Luna Bilbao.
They all pleaded guilty to four counts each of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy; transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death; and transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
What's next:
All five are expected to be sentenced later this year. They all face a maximum penalty of life in prison for the counts resulting in death.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the US Attorney's office and previous reporting.