Federal prosecutors say an 11-person smuggling ring that used railroad cars has been indicted after seven migrants, including a 14-year-old, were found dead of heatstroke inside an unventilated shipping container in May. The incident occurred during a stop in San Antonio; temperatures that day reached about 92°F (33°C). Nine suspects are in custody and two remain at large. The defendants face charges that could carry life sentences.
Eleven Indicted After Seven Migrants, Including 14-Year-Old, Found Dead in Overheated Texas Boxcar
Authorities in the Texas city of Laredo said at least six bodies were found in a Union Pacific boxcar. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
A federal grand jury in Texas has indicted 11 people in connection with the deaths of seven migrants, including a 14-year-old, whose bodies were discovered in May inside an overheated shipping container, prosecutors said Friday. Federal authorities say the victims died of heatstroke.
Prosecutors allege the smuggling network had been operating since April 2023 and used railroad cars to move migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. According to court filings, on May 9 the suspected smugglers opened the container during a stop in San Antonio and found multiple people "in peril." The container had no ventilation or cooling system; temperatures that day reached about 92°F (33°C).
U.S. Department of Justice: The smugglers fled the scene after discovery, allegedly leaving one of the deceased near the railroad tracks and leaving the remaining migrants inside the container. The train departed south the following day on its route to Laredo.
Authorities say a Union Pacific employee at the Laredo rail yard later noticed a limb protruding from the container and alerted law enforcement, who then found the deceased migrants. Officials identified the victims as four Mexican nationals and three Honduran nationals, including the 14-year-old.
Charges and Potential Penalties
The 11 defendants are charged with offenses that include conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. If convicted, they face possible life sentences, prosecutors said. Federal investigators continue to work the case with assistance from local and railroad authorities.
Suspects
Authorities have arrested nine of the 11 people named in the indictment:
- Edson Alejandro Perez, 18, of Del Rio, Texas
- Jonas Ulloa-Aguilera, 25, of Honduras
- Mayra Alejandra Huerta, 32, of Del Rio, Texas
- Maria Norma Neri de Moran, 56, of Mexico
- Damian Huerta Analucas, 55, of Mexico
- Rosario Cristal Lopez-Saldana, 26, of Mexico
- Eric Hernandez, 40, of Eagle Pass, Texas
- Franklin Williams Ayala Aguilera, 30, of Honduras
- Pascual Raymundo Loarca, 34, of Guatemala
Two suspects remain at large:
- Karina Garcia, 37, of Del Rio, Texas
- Seferino Huerta-Casillas, 35, of Mexico
The investigation remains active, and authorities ask anyone with information to contact federal law enforcement. The indictment marks a significant development in a case that highlights the deadly risks migrants face when smuggled in confined, unventilated spaces.
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