Human Trafficking: Two Guilty in Death of 53 Migrants in Texas

Human trafficking in Texas: two convicted

53 dead in abandoned trailer

Sentencing scheduled for June

Two men were found guilty this Tuesday for their involvement in a tragic migrant trafficking case that left 53 dead and 11 injured in San Antonio, Texas.

The United States Department of Justice reported the verdict involving Felipe Orduña Torres and Armando González Ortega.

Orduña Torres, 30, was known by the aliases ‘Cholo’, ‘Chuequito’, or ‘Negro’.

González Ortega, 55, used the nicknames ‘el Don’ and ‘Don Gon’.

Convicted for Deadly Migrant Trafficking in Texas

Human Trafficking: Two Guilty in Death of 53 Migrants in Texas / PHOTO: AP

Both were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants resulting in death.

They also faced an additional charge for transporting undocumented immigrants resulting in serious bodily injury and risk of death.

The tragic incident occurred on June 27, 2022, when a group of 66 migrants was trafficked from Mexico to the United States.

The migrants were locked in a trailer without air conditioning or ventilation.

When the truck arrived in San Antonio, 48 people had already died inside the container.

Five more died after being taken to local hospitals.

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Among the victims of human trafficking were six children and a pregnant woman.

Evidence presented at the trial revealed chilling details about the extreme conditions the migrants faced.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that the accused charged each migrant between $12,000 and $15,000 for the dangerous journey.

The victims were from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Orduña Torres and González Ortega now face possible life imprisonment.

The sentencing is scheduled for June 27.

The truck driver, Homero Zamorano Jr., pleaded guilty in January to charges related to the tragedy.

The case not only involves those sentenced in Texas but also others implicated abroad.

Guatemala recently extradited Rigoberto Ramón Miranda Orozco, 48.

Miranda Orozco is accused of being the leader of a human trafficking organization based in Guatemala.

Justice and Debate Over Human Trafficking

Two human traffickers accused of the death of 53 immigrants traveling in an unairconditioned trailer in 2022 in San Antonio, Texas, were convicted after two weeks of trial.

The Mexicans Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega are… pic.twitter.com/1dfydluxkj

— NMás (@nmas) March 18, 2025

Authorities directly link him to the incident and the death of his compatriots.

The Department of Justice emphasized the significance of these convictions in combating human trafficking.

“These convictions and the extradition demonstrate the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting the leaders, organizers, and key facilitators of human trafficking networks that illegally introduce people into the United States, posing significant risk to their lives,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice.

The case revives the debate over dangerous migration routes and the role of organized crime in the migration crisis.

Human rights organizations have condemned the lack of policies that protect migrants from unscrupulous human trafficking networks.

Relatives of the victims have demanded justice and greater attention to the issue of human trafficking.

The San Antonio case has become one of the deadliest episodes related to migration in the United States.

As the sentencing of those responsible for human trafficking awaits, the case continues to generate outrage and calls for action by authorities.

SOURCE: EFE / YAHOO

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