Crime · San Antonio, TX
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to 30 Years in San Antonio Tractor-Trailer Deaths
A federal judge sentenced Rigoberto Ramon Miranda Orozco, 50, to 30 years in prison Tuesday for his role in the June 2022 human smuggling attempt that killed 53 migrants inside a sweltering tractor-trailer on a remote San Antonio back road. Miranda Orozco, extradited from Guatemala in 2024, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy and aiding-and-abetting charges related to bringing migrants into the U.S. resulting in death and serious bodily injury. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia handed down the sentence after prosecutors said Miranda Orozco arranged travel and accommodations for victims. Nearly 20 people in the U.S. and Guatemala have been convicted since the tragedy, including the operation's U.S.-based leader, who received a life sentence.