LOS ANGELES, Cali. (DDN) – A man from Guatemala and his chief associate have been taken into custody and are facing several federal charges for allegedly operating a human-smuggling operation that brought approximately 20,000 undocumented immigrants into the United States.
Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 51, known as “Turko,” along with his associate Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, 49, were taken into custody on Friday, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Two men from the Westlake area close to downtown Los Angeles are currently in jail without bond as they await their trial, scheduled to start on April 22.
From 2019 to 2024, the men reportedly transported thousands of individuals from Guatemala to the U.S. However, some of these migrants were allegedly held captive or placed in perilous circumstances that resulted in fatalities.
Officials pointed out a car crash in Oklahoma in 2023 that resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, among them a 4-year-old child.
A crash occurred involving Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, 44, an associate of Renoj-Matul, who was transporting migrants from New York to Los Angeles. This incident took place in Elk City, Oklahoma, leading to the tragic deaths of seven passengers, including three children aged just 4 years old.
Paxtor-Oxlaj, previously deported in 2010, was arrested and charged with being an illegal alien in the U.S. after his deportation.
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Paxtor-Oxlaj and Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, 41, also known as “Xavi,” a lieutenant in the organization who is still at large, were charged together with Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj.
In addition to smuggling, the men reportedly issued threats of lethal violence towards both their trafficking victims and law enforcement, according to officials.
Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj are accused of holding two Guatemalan nationals hostage in Westlake for several months last year, reportedly threatening to kill the victims unless third parties paid for their release.
Four men face charges related to conspiring to bring aliens into the U.S., transporting them within the country, and harboring them for personal profit, which led to a fatal outcome.
If found guilty on all charges, the men may face the death penalty or life imprisonment. However, officials suggest that the implications of this case extend beyond just these four individuals.
“The indictment and arrests here have dismantled one of the country’s largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations,” said acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This work saves lives, and the members of the organization will now face significant consequences.”
Reference: DOJ touts arrests of key figures in Guatemalan human-smuggling ring
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