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Four Charged in Massive Guatemalan Human Smuggling Operation

Federal authorities allege the criminal network smuggled over 20,000 people into the U.S., holding some migrants hostage and threatening violence.

Acting United States Attorney Joseph T McNally speaks during a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday, March 3, 2025.
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Acting United States Attorney Joe McNally, of the Central District of California, announces arrests of a transnational criminal organization that smuggled approximately 20,000 immigrants from Guatemala to the United States over five years on Monday, March 3, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Overview

  • Federal prosecutors have charged four Guatemalan nationals with operating one of the largest human smuggling rings in the U.S., transporting over 20,000 migrants since at least 2013.
  • Two alleged leaders, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, were arrested in Los Angeles and face charges including conspiracy, hostage-taking, and crimes resulting in death.
  • The smuggling network charged migrants between $15,000 and $18,000 for passage to the U.S., with additional fees for transport across the country; those unable to pay were held hostage and threatened.
  • One defendant, Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, remains in custody in Oklahoma for a 2023 crash that killed seven migrants, including a 4-year-old child, while another, Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, is a fugitive accused of threatening federal agents.
  • Authorities describe the organization as violent and exploitative, with migrants subjected to dangerous conditions, extortion, and threats against their families.