5 People Charged In Alleged Human Smuggling Operation That Left 3 Dead

Five individuals have been charged following a tragic incident where a boat carrying migrants capsized near San Diego on Monday (May 5), resulting in the deaths of a 14-year-old boy from India and two others. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced the charges on Tuesday (May 6).

The suspects, all Mexican nationals, include Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36; Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30; Melissa Jennelle Cota, 33; Gustavo Lara, 32; and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, 31. Rodriguez-Leyva and Zuniga-Luna face charges of bringing in migrants resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. They were apprehended at Del Mar beach, where the panga-style boat overturned. Cota, Lara, and Rojas-Fregoso, who had been deported in December 2023, are charged with transporting undocumented immigrants, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The boat capsized just north of Torrey Pines State Beach, with the U.S. Coast Guard receiving a distress call around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Bystanders and lifeguards rescued four individuals, including the parents of the deceased boy. The father is currently in a coma, while the mother remains hospitalized. The boy's 10-year-old sister is still missing and presumed dead.

Initially, nine people were reported missing, but eight were later found by Border Patrol agents in Chula Vista. The agents also intercepted vehicles involved in the smuggling operation, leading to the arrest of the drivers. The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized the dangers of human smuggling, with U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon stating, "The drowning deaths of these children are a heartbreaking reminder of how little human traffickers care about the costs of their deadly business."

The incident highlights the ongoing issue of maritime smuggling along California's coast, where migrants increasingly opt for perilous sea routes to avoid heavily guarded land borders. Similar tragedies have occurred in recent years, underscoring the need for continued efforts to dismantle smuggling networks.