Massive Human Smuggling Ring Dismantled, Four Guatemalans Charged
Federal authorities have announced the dismantling of a major human smuggling organization, accusing four Guatemalan nationals of orchestrating a multi-year operation that illegally transported thousands of individuals from Guatemala to the United States. The announcement, made during a press conference on Monday, detailed the scope and severity of the alleged criminal enterprise, which is believed to be one of the largest human smuggling rings operating in the nation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally characterized the network as a grave threat to public safety, emphasizing the organization’s disregard for human life and the deadly consequences of their activities. Prosecutors estimate that the organization facilitated the entry of approximately 20,000 people into Los Angeles and Phoenix between 2019 and July 2024.
The indictment against the four defendants includes a litany of charges, including conspiracy to illegally bring people to the U.S., transporting people illegally within the U.S., and harboring individuals without legal status for private financial gain, with the added element of resulting in death. If convicted on all charges, the defendants face the potential for the most severe penalties, including death or life imprisonment.
Authorities identified the four defendants as Guatemalan nationals residing in various Los Angeles-area neighborhoods, including Westlake, downtown Los Angeles, and South Los Angeles. Prosecutors emphasized that all four individuals were present in the United States without legal authorization at the time of the alleged offenses.
The two alleged leaders of the organization, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, known as "Turko," and his alleged second-in-command, Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, were arrested in Los Angeles on Friday. A judge ordered them to be held without bond, signaling the seriousness of the charges and the potential flight risk. Both Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to stand trial on April 22.
According to the unsealed indictment, Renoj-Matul is identified as the head of the criminal network. The organization is alleged to have been operating for at least twelve years, specializing in the smuggling of undocumented immigrants from Guatemala to the United States and the subsequent harboring, concealing, and shielding of these individuals.
The indictment further alleges that Renoj-Matul was assisted by associates in Guatemala who solicited individuals by taking payments of between $15,000 and $18,000 to be smuggled into the U.S. These associates served as recruiters, identifying potential migrants and coordinating their initial journey towards the U.S. border.
Prosecutors detailed how Mexican smuggling organizations played a crucial role in the operation, facilitating the transportation of migrants through Mexico and across the U.S.-Mexico border into Arizona. Upon arrival in Arizona, the migrants were allegedly held in stash houses, often under deplorable conditions, before being picked up by Renoj-Matul’s lieutenants.
For an additional fee, the migrants were transported and moved to various locations in the country, such as Los Angeles and Phoenix. This stage of the operation involved transporting migrants to their final destinations, often requiring coordination across state lines and the use of various forms of transportation.
According to prosecutors, some migrants who were unable to pay the fees were held hostage in a stash house in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. The indictment alleges that Renoj-Matul directed the transportation of proceeds from human smuggling from Los Angeles to Phoenix, where they were given to the Mexican smuggling organization to pay the expenses incurred by Renoj-Matul’s transnational criminal organization. This financial flow highlights the complex web of international connections involved in the smuggling operation.
The indictment further alleges that from April 2024 to July 2024, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj held hostage two victims and threatened to kill the victims until third parties paid for their release. The two have also been charged with two counts of hostage-taking, according to prosecutors, adding another layer of severity to the charges against them.
The other two defendants named in the indictment are Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, also known as "Xavi," and Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj. Obispo-Hernandez was identified as another lieutenant in the criminal organization and is believed to be in Guatemala.
Obispo-Hernandez faces charges in a separate federal criminal complaint filed on Sunday. The indictment accuses Obispo-Hernandez of threatening to "cut off the heads" of a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force officer and members of his family. Obispo-Hernandez allegedly made those threats on Friday while search warrants were being executed at his residence, showcasing the violent and threatening nature of the organization.
Meanwhile, Paxtor-Oxlaj is currently being held in Oklahoma for his involvement in a fatal car crash. In November 2023, Paxtor-Oxlaj caused a car accident in Elk City, Oklahoma, while he was smuggling illegal immigrants from New York to Los Angeles, prosecutors said.
The car accident resulted in the deaths of seven people who were passengers in the vehicle he drove. Of the seven people killed, three were minors, including a 4-year-old child. This tragic event underscores the human cost of the organization’s activities and the dangers faced by the migrants they smuggle.
Paxtor-Oxlaj was arrested and charged with being an immigrant without legal status in the U.S. following removal, prosecutors said. He had been previously removed from the country in 2010 and did not have legal permission to re-enter the U.S.
Acting U.S. Attorney McNally emphasized the commitment of law enforcement to dismantle human smuggling organizations and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. He stated that these organizations have no regard for human life, and their conduct often results in death and poses a danger to the public and law enforcement. He added that the indictment and arrests have dismantled one of the country’s largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations.
The announcement of the charges comes amidst a broader national debate on immigration policy. The article mentions past administration’s increased enforcement efforts, including ICE raids and changes to immigration-related technologies and policies. It also notes the ongoing legal challenges and public protests surrounding these policies, highlighting the complex and contentious nature of the immigration issue.
