Fourteen people have been charged in connection with an alleged smuggling operation that led to the deaths of seven migrants, including a 14-year-old.
Court documents say the group placed seven migrants inside a shipping container on a stationary train near Del Rio, Texas, around May 9. The smugglers allegedly cut the container’s lock with red bolt cutters, then shut the door with the migrants still inside.
The container had no ventilation or cooling system and could not be opened from the inside. Outside temperatures reportedly ranged from 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the train reached San Antonio, the alleged smugglers found the migrants in distress and fled, according to the Justice Department. One victim’s body was left near the tracks.
The next day, a worker at a rail yard in Laredo spotted a human leg protruding from a container. A search uncovered the remains of six migrants. Authorities in San Antonio later found the seventh victim’s body near the tracks.
Four of the migrants who died were from Mexico and three were from Honduras.
Twelve defendants have been charged with conspiring to transport migrants, resulting in death. If convicted, they could face life in prison. The group also faces other serious charges, some carrying lengthy prison sentences.
Seven defendants are undocumented immigrants, four are U.S. citizens and three are citizens of other countries, the Justice Department said. Court records allege the smugglers received between $1,500 and $10,000 for each person they brought into the United States.
Federal officials said the defendants had allegedly put lives at risk for profit. A U.S. attorney also said authorities would seek to hold those responsible for the deaths accountable under the law.
