Washington, November 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Two Mexican boat pilots have been sentenced to 70 months in prison each for their role in a migrant smuggling operation that ended in tragedy off the California coast in May 2025, killing four people, including two Indian children aged 14 and 10.
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva, 28, and Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna, 32, were sentenced in federal court for piloting an overloaded vessel that capsized near Del Mar, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. The other two victims were Mexican adults.
The two men admitted that the boat was carrying more passengers than it could safely accommodate and had neither running lights nor a radio. Its engine developed problems during the initial crossing, forcing them to return to their launch point in Mexico before setting out again.
According to their plea agreements, Rodriguez and Zuniga transported 19 migrants, including three minors, from Popotla, Mexico, towards the United States on May 5, 2025.
As the vessel approached Del Mar beach, the pilots allegedly instructed passengers to remove their life jackets so they could disembark quickly and run towards vehicles waiting on shore.
However, about 200 yards from the beach, the engine failed again. The boat capsized in the surf, prompting an emergency response after witnesses reported the incident.
Four migrants were found on the beach and taken for medical treatment, while three others, including a minor, were found dead at the scene. The final death toll was four.
Homeland Security Investigations, the US Coast Guard, local lifeguards and the US Border Patrol launched a joint search-and-rescue operation.
The accused pleaded guilty on April 14, 2026, to two counts of attempted bringing in illegal aliens resulting in death and two counts of attempted bringing in illegal aliens for financial gain.
US Attorney Adam Gordon said the sentences reflected the serious consequences of putting financial gain ahead of human life. San Diego Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre said migrant smuggling organisations continued to demonstrate a reckless disregard for human safety.
Court documents also described a wider smuggling network in which individuals in Mexico recruited drivers to collect migrants arriving by boat, conceal them in vehicles and take them to holding houses before transporting them to their intended destinations. The drivers coordinated with associates on both sides of the US-Mexico border.
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