Law enforcement officials arrested two illegal immigrants from Guatemala on Friday after they smuggled roughly 20,000 illegal immigrants into the United States. The two illegal immigrants have been charged with leading “one of the largest human smuggling organizations” in the country.
In a Monday press release, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said, “An illegal immigrant from Guatemala has been arrested on a four-count indictment alleging he led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, a ring that smuggled approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to destinations nationwide over a five-year span, holding some of them hostage in stash houses and ultimately resulting in the deaths of seven illegal immigrants – including a 4-year-old child – who were killed in a November 2023 car accident in Oklahoma.”
According to the press release, 51-year-old Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, who has been identified as the leader of the human smuggling ring, and 49-year-old Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, who has been identified as Renoj-Matul’s “right-hand man,” were arrested on Friday for smuggling illegal immigrants from Guatemala into the country since 2019.
“These smuggling organizations have no regard for human life and their conduct kills,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said. “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.”
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Monday’s press release noted that 44-year-old Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj and 41-year-old Helmer Obispo-Hernandez have also been charged in the human smuggling case. Law enforcement officials explained that Paxtor-Oxlaj is currently in prison due to his involvement in a 2023 car crash that resulted in the death of seven migrants, while Helmer Obispo-Hernandez remains a “fugitive.”
According to Monday’s press release, all four of the defendants are Guatemalan nationals who illegally entered the United States, and all four were charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States, transporting aliens in the U.S., and harboring aliens in the country for financial gain that resulted in death. Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj have also been charged with two counts of hostage taking.
Additionally, Obispo-Hernandez has also been charged with “threatening to cut off the heads of a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer and members of his family” after law enforcement officials executed search warrants at the illegal immigrant’s residence.
“Every day, similar human smuggling organizations put profits ahead of the safety in these reckless and illegal endeavors,” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco said. “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.”
