In San Antonio, two smugglers, Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, face life sentences for their role in a tragic human smuggling case that led to the deaths of 53 migrants in 2022. The incident is recognized as the deadliest human smuggling attempt along the U.S.-Mexico border. Convicted in March, the two men were identified as key figures in a conspiracy that resulted in the loss of lives. Orduna-Torres allegedly led the smuggling operation in the U.S., while Gonzales-Ortega served as his main aide.
The migrants, hailing from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, paid between $12,000 to $15,000 each for their journey. They were placed in a tractor-trailer with malfunctioning air conditioning and endured a harrowing three-hour drive from Laredo to San Antonio. As temperatures soared, many inside screamed for help; unfortunately, by the time authorities opened the trailer, 48 migrants had already succumbed, with 16 others rushed to hospitals where five additional deaths occurred. Victims included six children and a pregnant woman.
Investigations revealed that Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega collaborated with smuggling operations across Central America, sharing vital resources like routes and vehicles. Several co-defendants have pleaded guilty, including truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., who faces sentencing in December. The incident underscores the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting to cross the border, reflecting a troubling trend in smuggling operations that have claimed numerous lives over the years. Previous tragedies, including the 2017 deaths of ten migrants in a Walmart parking lot and the 2003 incident where 19 lives were lost in a truck, demonstrate the perilous nature of such crossings.
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