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Press Release

Captain and Co-Captain Sentenced for Maritime Smuggling Effort That Left Three Dead

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 14, 2023

SAN DIEGO – The captain and co-captain of a boat that capsized off Imperial Beach during a 2022 smuggling incident, resulting in the deaths of three people, were sentenced in federal court today to 54 and 50 months in prison, respectively.

Jorge Armando Preciado-Vasquez, the captain, and Alexis Martinez-Preciado, the co-captain and navigator, attempted to smuggle seven adults and an unaccompanied minor from Mexico into the United States over Thanksgiving weekend in 2022.

The victims were a 39-year-old woman and 47-year-old man, both from Mexico; and a still unidentified young woman, believed to be from Guatemala.

According to plea agreements and the government’s sentencing documents, the defendants navigated the open-hull craft from Mexico on the open ocean through the night until they approached Imperial Beach early in the morning on November 26. As they approached the shore, at approximately 6 a.m., the defendants directed all eight people on board to take off their life vests, a common practice so passengers are quicker and more inconspicuous making their way to the shore.

Soon after removing the life jackets, however, the panga boat overturned as shown in the images below. The three victims drowned despite the best efforts of surfers, witnesses and Imperial Beach lifeguards to rescue them.

Two bodies were recovered that morning; the third was discovered on the beach days later.

“This case is a horrible tragedy and three lives were needlessly lost when profiteering overtook caution,” said U. S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Criminal smuggling organizations consistently disregard the welfare of the human beings they smuggle.”

“Maritime human smuggling is an incredibly dangerous tactic which has claimed numerous lives. However, transnational criminal organizations have no regard for human life and continue to enrich themselves using the tactic,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations San Diego. “HSI is committed to using all means at our disposal to investigate and hold accountable those placing human beings at substantial risk of injury and death.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Horn and Ronald Sou.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 22-CR-2928-TWR                                        

Jorge Armando Preciado-Vasquez                 Age: 30                                   Baja California, Mexico

Alexis Martinez-Preciado                              Age: 20                                   Baja California, Mexico

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii); Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2

Penalties: Mandatory minimum of three years and maximum of ten years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine

AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations – San Diego Marine Task Force

United States Border Patrol

United States Customs and Border Protection

United States Coast Guard

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

San Diego Harbor Police Department

San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office 

Contact

Media Relations Director Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726 or Kelly.Thornton@usdoj.gov 

Updated December 14, 2023

Topic
Human Smuggling
Press Release Number: CAS23-1214-Vasquez