The two were found guilty in March to, among other things, human smuggling, serious abuse and the endanger of lives. The young person is considered the leader of an organization that smuggled migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico to the United States. The migrants paid between 12,000 and $ 15,000 (around 10,000 to 12,000 euros) per person for the trip.
At the end of June 2022, the smugglers loaded 64 migrants, including eight children and a pregnant woman, in a truck and drove those from Mexico to the US. The truck had no air conditioning and on arrival in America, 48 people had died from the heat. Five people later died in the hospital. Among the dead were the pregnant woman and six of the children.
Five other suspects are known for their share in the case. They will hear their punishment later this year. In September the trial against a 48-year-old suspect who was arrested in Guatemala and has since been extradited to the United States.
“The judgments today give a powerful signal to human smugglers anywhere: we will not rest until you are behind bars,” said Minister of Justice Pamela Bondi after the statement.