Two individuals responsible for a deadly maritime smuggling incident off the coast of Imperial Beach have been sentenced to prison.
Jorge Armando Preciado-Vasquez, 30, of Baja California, Mexico, was sentenced to 54 months in prison, while his co-captain, Alexis Martinez-Preciado, 20, also of Baja California, Mexico, received a 50-month sentence.
The defendants navigated an open-hull craft from Mexico into the United States on Thanksgiving weekend in 2022, attempting to smuggle seven adults and an unaccompanied minor into the country. However, the panga boat capsized, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including a 39-year-old woman and 47-year-old man from Mexico, and a young woman believed to be from Guatemala.
‘This case is a horrible tragedy and three lives were needlessly lost when profiteering overtook caution,’ said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. ‘Criminal smuggling organizations consistently disregard the welfare of the human beings they smuggle.’
Preciado-Vasquez and Martinez-Preciado were charged with bringing in aliens for financial gain and aiding and abetting, pursuant to Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii); Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of three years and a maximum of ten years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Horn and Ronald Sou.
Agencies involved in the investigation include Homeland Security Investigations – San Diego Marine Task Force, United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Coast Guard, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Harbor Police Department, and San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime|Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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