OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
5:37 PM – Monday, March 3, 2024
Two Guatemalan men were detained by federal officials on Friday on suspicion of running one of the largest human smuggling operations in the United States.
The two were apprehended close to downtown Los Angeles. They are being charged for smuggling at least 20,000 illegal aliens from Guatemala into the United States — since 2019.
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Human trafficking and human smuggling differ.
“Human trafficking involves exploiting men, women, or children for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Human smuggling involves the provision of a service—typically, transportation or fraudulent documents—to an individual who voluntarily seeks to gain illegal entry into a foreign country,” according to ICE.
A judge ordered both men, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, to be held without bond when they appeared in federal court a few hours after their arrests. If convicted, they could each face the death penalty.
“These smuggling organizations have no regard for human life and their conduct kills,” stated acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “The indictment and arrests here have dismantled one of the country’s largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations. This work saves lives, and the members of the organization will now face significant consequences.”
Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, a “lieutenant” in the smuggling ring, and Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, a man incarcerated in Oklahoma for his involvement in a 2023 automobile accident that killed seven illegals, including five members of the same family, are also charged in the case.
“Every day, similar human smuggling organizations put profits ahead of the safety in these reckless and illegal endeavors,” stated Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent John Pasciucco. “HSI Los Angeles and our partners are committed to continue identifying and dismantling these organizations, so no further lives are lost, and our borders are secure.”
Renoj-Matul, also known as “Turko,” is accused of being the operation’s ringleader. He was collaborating with other colleagues in Guatemala who had charged travelers between $15,000 and $18,000 to enter the U.S. safely.
After arriving, the migrants were billed once more for further transportation throughout the nation. According to Renoj-Matul’s indictment details, illegals were sent to at least 20 states and Washington, D.C., under his supervision.
At the same Los Angeles neighborhood where Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj were captured, illegals who failed to pay are believed to have been held captive at a stash house — police say.
Prosecutors also claimed that in one instance last year, Renoj-Matul threatened to “bring home in a box” the mother of a migrant he was holding hostage, that is, if her smuggling payments were not paid.
For threatening to chop off the head of a Homeland Security Investigations officer who carried out a search warrant at his residence on Friday, Obispo-Hernandez is still at large and faces further allegations.
“Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn J. Nelson and Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the asset forfeiture portion of this case,” according to the Department of Justice.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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