Guatemalan man sentenced to 30 years in US over deaths of 53 migrants — Al Jazeera

In the United States, District Judge Orlando Garcia on Tuesday sentenced 39-year-old Guatemalan citizen Rigoberto Roman Miranda-Orozco to 30 years in prison. He was found guilty in a case involving a smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants in Texas in 2022.

As Al Jazeera reports, Miranda-Orozco was first detained in Guatemala in August 2024 as part of cross-border efforts to dismantle a smuggling network. He was extradited to the United States in March 2025.

Tragedy near San Antonio

On June 27, 2022, rescuers discovered dozens of migrants in an abandoned truck in a remote area on the southern outskirts of San Antonio, Texas. In total, 64 migrants made the long journey, which began in Guatemala and passed through Mexico to the US border.

According to prosecutors, the air-conditioning system in the truck stopped working on the way from Laredo to San Antonio, a distance of about 250 kilometers. When the vehicle was found, the air temperature was approaching 32 degrees Celsius.

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Forty-eight people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another five died while receiving medical care from dehydration and heat-related illnesses. The dead included six children and a pregnant woman, while 21 victims were Guatemalan citizens. Investigators found scratch marks on the interior walls of the trailer, which, according to prosecutors, indicated attempts by passengers to get out.

Guilty plea

Miranda-Orozco admitted that he arranged travel and accommodation for two migrants who died in the truck, as well as for another victim who survived but suffered severe injuries. In July, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring a migrant unlawfully into the United States resulting in death, as well as aiding and abetting the unlawful entry of migrants resulting in death and serious bodily injury.

According to the Associated Press, nearly 20 people have been convicted in the United States and Guatemala in connection with the tragedy. Felipe Orduna-Torres, described as the leader of the operation in the United States, was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2025. Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, whom prosecutors described as his chief aide, received 83 years in prison. Proceedings against the truck driver are still ongoing.