SAN ANTONIO — Two individuals involved in a smuggling incident that led to the deaths of 53 migrants in a stifling tractor-trailer have been found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial. This 2022 tragedy marked the deadliest smuggling attempt along the U.S.-Mexico border.
A jury in a federal court in San Antonio reached a swift verdict in just around an hour, convicting Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega of participating in a human smuggling operation that caused deaths and injuries. Both defendants could face life imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for June 27.
According to the indictment, the victims, originating from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, had paid between $12,000 to $15,000 for passage into the United States. They reached the Texas city of Laredo, where they were crammed into a trailer with malfunctioning air conditioning for a daunting three-hour trip to San Antonio.
As temperatures inside the trailer soared, those inside began screaming, pounding on the walls for assistance, and even attempting to claw their way out, as reported by investigators. Many lost consciousness. Upon arrival in San Antonio, the trailer was opened to reveal 48 deceased individuals. Sixteen survivors were rushed to hospitals, where five more succumbed. Among the deceased were six children and a pregnant woman.
“These defendants knew the air conditioning did not work. Nevertheless they disregarded the danger,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas at a news briefing following the verdict. Orduna-Torres was identified as the group leader within the U.S., with Gonzales-Ortega as his key accomplice.
Earlier, five men, including truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., had admitted guilt to felony charges related to the incident. Zamorano, who was discovered hiding close to the scene, may receive a life sentence. Others who pleaded guilty include Christian Martinez, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, and Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao, all awaiting sentencing this year. One individual charged in the U.S. remains at large, according to Leachman, with additional charges filed against individuals in Mexico and Guatemala.
This incident stands as the most lethal among numerous fatal tragedies over recent decades as individuals attempt to traverse the U.S. border from Mexico. In 2017, ten migrants died after being trapped in a truck at a San Antonio Walmart. Earlier in 2003, the bodies of 19 migrants were discovered in an overheated truck southeast of the city.
