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Two Smuggling Leaders Convicted in Deaths of 53 Migrants in 2022 Tragedy

Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega face life sentences after being found guilty of conspiracy to transport migrants resulting in death.

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Relatives and friends of late migrants Jair Valencia, 19, Yovani Valencia, 16, and Misael Olivares, 16, attend the funeral, after their death last month when they suffocated while being smuggled in a trailer in San Antonio, Texas, U.S., at a cemetery in the town of San Marcos Atexquilapan, in Veracruz state, Mexico July 15, 2022. REUTERS/Yahir Ceballos/File Photo
Police and other first responders work the scene where officials say dozens of people have been found dead and multiple others were taken to hospitals with heat-related illnesses after a tractor-trailer containing suspected migrants was found on June 27, 2022, in San Antonio.
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Overview

  • The 2022 tragedy in San Antonio claimed the lives of 53 migrants, including six minors, after a trailer's refrigeration unit failed during transport.
  • Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega were convicted of leading the smuggling operation, which spanned multiple countries and charged migrants up to $15,000 each.
  • Prosecutors presented evidence of the defendants' roles, including managing transport lists and coordinating logistics, while other co-defendants testified against them.
  • The driver, Homero Zamorano Jr., previously pleaded guilty and faces life in prison for his role in the incident, with sentencing scheduled for April 2025.
  • Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega will be sentenced on June 27, 2025, the third anniversary of the incident, marking a significant step in legal accountability for the tragedy.