Leaders Of Human Smuggling Ring Arrested In Los Angeles

Federal authorities in Los Angeles have arrested two men accused of running a vast human smuggling network that allegedly brought around 20,000 illegal immigrants into the United States since 2019.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, identified as the leader of the operation, and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, his top associate, were taken into custody on Friday. According to prosecutors, the organization charged Guatemalan migrants between $15,000 and $18,000 for passage into the U.S., where they were handed over to smugglers in Mexico who facilitated their illegal entry.

Authorities say the smuggling network, which has operated for over a decade, has been linked to multiple deaths, including a fatal crash in Oklahoma in November 2023 that killed seven illegal immigrants, among them a four-year-old child. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally described the arrests as a major blow to one of the most dangerous smuggling groups in the country.

“These smuggling organizations have no regard for human life,” McNally said, emphasizing that their actions “kill.” He added that dismantling the ring will help prevent further loss of life.

Court documents allege that some migrants who could not immediately pay their smuggling fees were held in stash houses in Phoenix and Los Angeles until their families sent money. In one case, Renoj-Matul reportedly threatened a migrant’s mother, saying her daughter “would come home in a box” if payments were not made.

A third suspect, Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, is still at large and is believed to be in Guatemala. He has been accused of making threats against a Homeland Security agent and their family. Authorities say he played a key role in the smuggling operation, supervising teams of drivers who transported illegal immigrants to destinations across at least 20 states.

Another individual, Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, has been charged in connection with the deadly Oklahoma crash and remains in custody in that state.

Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj, both in the U.S. illegally, have pleaded not guilty. A federal judge ordered them to be held without bail until their trial, scheduled for April. If convicted, they could face life in prison or the death penalty.