SAN ANTONIO/MEXICO CITY: The suspected driver of a truck packed with dozens of migrants who died in sweltering heat during a smuggling attempt in Texas this week was charged in U.S. federal court on Wednesday with a single count of migrant smuggling resulting in death.
Homero Zamorano Jr, 45, a Texas native, was arrested on Monday near the scene of the incident after he tried to pose as a survivor of the tragedy, which left 53 migrants dead and ranks as the greatest loss of life ever from a single human trafficking incident in the United States.
If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison or possibly the death penalty, the U.S. Justice Department said in announcing the charges.
Also detained as a co-defendant in the case on Wednesday was Christian Martinez, 28, who was arrested on Tuesday and was charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally transport migrants resulting in death.
Federal prosecutors said Martinez was linked to the ill-fated smuggling operation through communications with Zamorano detected between the two men after a search by investigators of Zamorano's mobile phone.
The tractor-trailor truck packed with migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador was discovered abandoned on Monday in a desolate, industrial area near a highway on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, about 160 miles (250 km) north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Temperatures in the area that day had soared as high as 103 Fahrenheit (39.4 Celsius), and authorities called to the scene found no water supplies or signs of working air-conditioning inside the cargo trailer.
Officials described finding the rear door to the trailer ajar with "stacks of bodies" inside, many of them hot to the touch. Other victims were discovered on the ground nearby. It was not made clear from official accounts how the door opened.
According to radio dispatch audio from authorities who were first on the scene, no one inside the trailer was conscious and only about a dozen appeared at first to be breathing.
Two more men suspected of involvement in the ill-fated smuggling operation, both of them Mexican nationals, were charged on Tuesday in U.S. federal court with being illegal immigrants in possession of firearms.
Authorities said the pair - Juan Francisco D'Luna-Bilbao and Juan Claudio D'Luna-Mendez - were arrested when they were seen leaving a San Antonio residence listed on the Texas state vehicle registration of the tractor-trailer.
A federal judge in San Antonio has ordered them to remain in custody to face a preliminary hearing set for Friday.
Reuters
Thu Jun 30 2022
The alleged driver of a truck carrying dozens of migrants, identified as "Homero N", drives through a security checkpoint in this surveillance photograph in Laredo, Texas, June 29, 2022. - National Institute of Migration/via REUTERS
Kesatuan Ragbi Malaysia harap individu disyaki pecah amanah didakwa segera
Kesatuan Ragbi Malaysia (KRM) berharap individu di sebalik isu pecah amanah disyaki berlaku dalam pengendalian akaun bank badan induk itu didakwa segera.
PM adakan pertemuan dengan Presiden Rwanda
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengadakan pertemuan dua hala dengan Presiden Rwanda Paul Kagame di luar Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia (WEF) pada Ahad.
Iraq luluskan RUU anti-LGBTQ
PARLIMEN Iraq pada Sabtu meluluskan rang undang-undang (RUU) yang menjenayahkan hubungan sejenis.
Rumah terbuka Persatuan Komuniti Bugis Sabah meriah
Keunikan pakaian suku kaum Bugis dan kepelbagaian juadah menjadi tarikan utama rumah terbuka Persatuan Kaum Bugis Sabah.
Perayaan masa terbaik pupuk persaudaraan - Hajiji
Datul Seri Hajiji Noor menyifatkan perayaan yang ada di negara ini sebagai medan terbaik memupuk tali persaudaraan dalam kalangan rakyat pelbagai kaum dan agama.
Konsert jelajah terakhir Kitaro bakal tarik ramai pengunjung
Konsert jelajah Kitaro di Rainforest World Music Festival 2024 bakal jadi yang terakhir buat Kitaro yang memasuki usia 71 tahun, Februari lalu.
Abang Jo setuju cadangan syarat untuk pemohon PR di Sarawak
Dalam perkembangan lain Abang Johari bersetuju dengan cadangan untuk menetapkan syarat bagi komuniti peniaga dan pelabur yang mahu mendapatkan status Penduduk Tetap (PR) di Sarawak perlu memasukkan minimum dua juta ringgit ke dalam akaun deposit tetap negeri ataupun membeli hartanah bernilai 1.5 juta ke atas.
Kes denggi di Kedah membimbangkan, catat 1,550 kes pada ME16
Kes denggi di Kedah berada pada tahap membimbangkan apabila sejumlah 1,550 kes dilaporkan pada Minggu Epidemiologi ke-16 tahun ini.
Kerajaan Sarawak tidak paksa penduduk pedalaman terima projek empangan Melata
Abang Johari berharap penduduk pedalaman Sarawak agar membuka minda dengan melihat kepada manfaat projek empangan melata yang penting bagi menghasilkan tenaga boleh diperbaharui di kawasan merfeka.
Sarawak akan jana tenaga hijau seratus peratus hijau
Premier Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg akan berbincang dengan SEB bagi membolehkan dua loji tenaga arang batu miliknya ditukar kepada loji bersumberkan biomass.
Wanita Indonesia mati tertembak lebih 100 peluru di Texas
Insiden itu turut mencederakan tetamu penginapan AirBnb yang menginap di kediaman sama.
42 migran ditemui maut dalam lori
Sekurang-kurangnya 42 dipercayai pendatang telah ditemui mati dalam sebuah lori di pinggir San Antonio, Texas.
COVID-19: Satu bandar pandu lalu sambut hari jadi anak yatim di Texas ini
Orang ramai datang dari seluruh bandar itu, menaiki lori dan kereta, membunyikan hon dan mengucapkan selamat hari jadi kepadanya dari dalam kenderaan.
Curi jerung dari akuarium guna kereta sorong bayi
Sekumpulan pencuri bertindak mencuri seekor jerung tanduk meletakkan haiwan berkenaan ke dalam kereta sorong persis bayi.
Obses dengan Star Wars, rumah jadi pusat pertunjukan lampu warna-warni
Demam Star Wars: The Last Jedi sememangnya sedang hangat di seluruh dunia.