SAN ANTONIO – A horrific incident involving the deaths of 53 individuals who were being smuggled in a tractor trailer has led to the arrest of four individuals, with charges filed against three of them.
According to court documents, on June 27, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) responded to the scene of a human smuggling event involving a tractor trailer and 64 individuals suspected of entering the United States illegally.
At the scene, San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers discovered multiple individuals some still inside the tractor trailer, some on the ground and in nearby brush, many of them deceased and some of them incapacitated.
HSI confirmed that 48 individuals at the scene were deceased, including 22 Mexican nationals, seven Guatemalan nationals, two Honduran nationals, and 17 individuals of unknown origin but suspected to be undocumented non-citizens (UNCs).
Defendant Homero Zamorano Jr., 45, was arrested on June 27, 2022, on one count of alien smuggling resulting in death, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324. If convicted, Zamorano faces up to life in prison or possibly the death penalty.
In addition to Zamorano, two other individuals, Christian Martinez, 28, and Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48, were arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
Martinez is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, while D’Luna-Mendez and D’Luna-Bilbao are charged with one count of possession of a weapon by an alien illegally in the U.S. in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5).
All three defendants are currently in custody, with Zamorano and Martinez facing up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
The incident has sparked outrage and grief, with officials working to identify and notify the families of the deceased individuals.
Defendant Information:
Defendant: Homero Zamorano Jr.
Charges: Alien smuggling resulting in death, one count
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: June 27, 2022
Sentence: Currently in custody, facing up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime|Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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