Justice Delivered: Convictions in Deadly Migrant Smuggling Case

Two Mexican men were convicted for their role in the smuggling death of 53 migrants in a tractor-trailer in Texas. The case involves 66 migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Further arrests and extradition underline the crackdown on a large human smuggling network.

A federal jury in San Antonio, Texas, convicted two Mexican men for their roles in the tragic smuggling death of 53 migrants, as confirmed by the Justice Department. The victims were packed into a truck with inadequate air conditioning during intense heat in June 2022.

The day of the incident saw temperatures reach as high as 103 Fahrenheit. Of the 66 migrants aboard, 48 were found dead at the scene, while another five succumbed in hospitals. The deceased included six children and a pregnant woman, with many suffocated or crushed as they attempted to escape the confined space.

Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega face life sentences after their conviction. Law enforcement continues its crackdown on the smuggling operation, with several suspects, including the truck driver, facing similar charges. Another ringleader was extradited from Guatemala, confirming the cross-border scope of the investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)