Illegal alien from Guatemala, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for leading what the Justice Department calls one of the nation’s largest human-smuggling organizations.
Those who couldn’t pay were held against their will at a stash house in L.A.’s Westlake neighborhood. The ring smuggled approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala into the United States over a five-year span, held some of them hostage, and was responsible for a car accident that killed seven migrants — including two young children.
The DOJ says 53-year-old Renoj-Matul charged illegal aliens between 15- and 18-thousand dollars each to be smuggled into the country.
Prosecutors say one woman was sexually assaulted, forced to work demeaning jobs and had her family threatened over her unpaid smuggling debt. Another victim was threatened that she “would come home in a box” if her fees weren’t paid.
The organization moved illegal aliens to destinations across at least 11 states and Washington, D.C.
Renoj-Matul pleaded guilty to human-smuggling conspiracy and hostage taking. He’ll serve nearly 22 years in federal prison and was ordered to pay more than 64-thousand dollars in restitution.
