Public Safety
Los Angeles smuggling-ring leader sentenced to nearly 22 years
A federal judge imposed a 262-month prison term on a man who admitted leading a Los Angeles-based operation that moved thousands of migrants and held people hostage over unpaid fees.
Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 53, was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in March to conspiracy involving migrant smuggling, transportation and harboring for financial gain, as well as one count of hostage taking, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Five-year operation
Federal prosecutors said the organization moved approximately 20,000 people from Guatemala to the United States between 2019 and July 2024. Its Los Angeles operation included a stash house in the Westlake neighborhood, where migrants were held until smuggling fees were paid.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela also ordered Renoj-Matul to pay $64,945 in restitution connected to a November 2023 crash that killed seven migrants, including two children. A separate restitution hearing involving kidnapping victims will be scheduled later.
Additional sentence
Cristóbal Mejia-Chaj, 51, of Westlake, received a 33-month federal sentence the same day after pleading guilty to a related conspiracy count. Another co-defendant was sentenced in July, while a fourth person charged in the case remained a fugitive, the Justice Department said.
Read the official release: U.S. Attorney's Office →