Two Convicted in Deadliest Migrant Smuggling Case in U.S. History

Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega face life sentences for their roles in the 2022 San Antonio tragedy that claimed 53 lives.

A federal jury convicted Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega on multiple counts, including conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants resulting in death.
The 2022 incident involved 66 migrants trapped in a trailer with malfunctioning air conditioning, leading to 53 deaths and 11 injuries.
The migrants, originating from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, paid $12,000 to $15,000 each for the perilous journey to the U.S.
Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, a leader of a Guatemala-based smuggling network, was extradited to the U.S. and faces related charges.
Sentencing for the convicted men is scheduled for June 27, 2025, on the third anniversary of the tragedy.