SAN ANTONIO – One of the organizers behind the deadliest human smuggling case in U.S. history pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court, the Department of Justice said.
Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 49, recruited human smugglers to bring 67 migrants from Guatemala to Mexico and eventually into the United States, according to the release.
Authorities found the migrants inside of a sweltering 90-degree semitruck on Quintana Road, where 53 people died, many suffering heat-related injuries.
On Thursday, Miranda-Orozco admitted that he arranged for the migrants’ transportation and accommodations throughout Guatemala to the U.S., according to the release. He plead guilty to three felony charges:
- Conspiracy to bring an alien into the United States resulting in death
- Aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in death
- Aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in serious bodily injury
Miranda-Orozco is expected to be sentenced Oct. 8 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
“This guilty plea is another step toward justice,” U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said in the release.
Miranda-Orozco was arrested in August 2024 in Guatemala, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The United States requested his extradition.
Last year, two men were found guilty on three charges.
Armando Gonzales-Ortega, the alleged coordinator, was sentenced to 87 years and six months in prison.
Felipe Orduna-Torres, a leader and organizer in the incident, received two life sentences and a 20-year sentence that will run consecutively.
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