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California Migrant Smuggling Ring Busted
San Diego, CA – Three men, Cristian Hirales-Morales, Marcos Julian Romero, and Sergio Anthony Santivanez, have been indicted for their alleged roles in a transnational migrant smuggling operation based in Tecate, Mexico. The indictment alleges that the organization recruited juvenile drivers from San Diego high schools to smuggle undocumented migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to the indictment, Hirales-Morales, a U.S. citizen, is alleged to be the leader of the organization. He is accused of handling Mexico-based arrangements with migrants and smugglers, coordinating illegal crossings into the United States, and tracking load drivers using live-location phone apps. Hirales-Morales allegedly guided load drivers to the waiting migrants by sending pin drops with exact Google Maps coordinates.
Romero, also a U.S. citizen, is alleged to be a top lieutenant in the organization. He is accused of recruiting drivers and sending their personal information, including photos of their driver’s licenses and vehicles, to Hirales-Morales and the U.S.-based organizers. Romero allegedly tracked smuggling events from the border and directed the payment of smuggling fees at Los Angeles area motels.
Santivanez, a U.S. citizen, is alleged to be a manager in the organization. He is accused of transporting undocumented migrants, coordinating smuggling events from the border, and dealing with sponsors of the migrants. Santivanez allegedly collected smuggling proceeds at Los Angeles motels.
The indictment charges conspiracies involving bringing undocumented migrants to the United States, as well as transporting them once they were in the country. Border Patrol investigators tracked command-level managers to hotels in the Los Angeles area and surveilled the exchange of smuggling fees conducted by Romero and Santivanez.
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer praised the U.S. Border Patrol and prosecutors Timothy D. Coughlin and Zachary J. Howe for their work on the case. ‘We will not allow criminal organizations to recruit our youth to smuggle people or drugs into our nation,’ Brewer said. ‘We will bring the full power of the justice system down on these recruiters.’
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Human Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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