Four undocumented aliens federally charged with operating massive human smuggling ring in U.S.

(Pictured, the man in charge, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 51, a.k.a. “Turko”)

On March 3, the U.S. Justice Department announced that an undocumented alien from Guatemala had been arrested on charges that  he led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, a ring that smuggled approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to destinations nationwide over a five-year span, holding some of them hostage in stash houses and ultimately resulting in the deaths of seven illegal immigrants – including a 4-year-old child – who were killed in a November 2023 car accident in Oklahoma.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 51, a.k.a. “Turko,” of the Westlake neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles, was arrested Friday morning along with his alleged right-hand man, Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, 49, also of the Westlake neighborhood. These defendants were arraigned Friday and ordered to stand trial on April 22. A federal magistrate judge also ordered them jailed without bond.

The two were picked up near downtown Los Angeles and are accused of moving 20,000 illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Guatemala since 2019, according to Yahoo! News.  Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj each appeared in federal court hours after their arrests, and a judge ordered each held without bond. If convicted, they could each face the death penalty.

Renoj-Matul allegedly led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, moving approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from 2019 through July 2024. 

Also charged in the indictment are Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, 41, a.k.a. “Xavi,” a lieutenant in the criminal organization who is a fugitive, and Jose Paxtor-Oxlaj, 44, a driver for the smuggling organization who is incarcerated in Oklahoma in connection with the fatal November 2023 car accident.

All the defendants are Guatemalan nationals who are or were illegally living in the United States at the time of the alleged offenses. All four defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, transporting aliens in the United States, and harboring aliens in the United States for private financial gain and resulting in death. 

Additionally, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj are charged with two counts of hostage taking. Obispo-Hernandez and Paxtor-Oxlaj also are charged with one count of transporting aliens in the United States for private financial gain and resulting in death.

A separate federal criminal complaint filed March 2 charges Obispo-Hernandez with threatening to cut off the heads of a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer and members of his family. The threats were allegedly made Friday to the federal law enforcement office in the wake of search warrants being executed at Obispo-Hernandez’s residence.

“These smuggling organizations have no regard for human life and their conduct kills,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Their members pose a danger to the public and law enforcement. We must vigorously enforce our immigration laws so that these organizations cannot operate. The indictment and arrests here have dismantled one of the country’s largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations.  This work saves lives, and the members of the organization will now face significant consequences.”

“These arrests illuminate the dangers and victimization associated with aliens attempting to unlawfully enter our country,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “Every day, similar human smuggling organizations put profits ahead of the safety in these reckless and illegal endeavors.  HSI Los Angeles and our partners are committed to continue identifying and dismantling these organizations so no further lives are lost and our borders are secure.”

The Renoj-Matul transnational criminal organization operated for at least a dozen years and specialized in the smuggling of illegal immigrants from Guatemala to the United States, the transportation and movement of those illegal immigrants within the United States – especially between Phoenix and Los Angeles – and the harboring, concealing, and shielding of illegal immigrants within the United States. 

Renoj-Matual was assisted by associates in Guatemala who solicited illegal immigrants to come to the United States, accepted payment of between $15,000 and $18,000 for each illegal immigrant smuggled into the United States and coordinated the journey of the illegal immigrants from Guatemala to the United States.

Mexican smuggling organizations transported the immigrants through Mexico and across the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, where they held them in stash houses and eventually picked up by Renoj-Matul’s lieutenants. The illegal immigrants then – for an additional fee – were transported and moved to various destinations in the United States, including Los Angeles. The immigrants who had not paid their fees were held hostage in a stash house in the Westlake neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles. 

Renoj-Matul directed that the transportation of proceeds from human smuggling be transported from Los Angeles to Phoenix, where they were given to the Mexican smuggling organization to pay the expenses incurred by Renoj-Matul’s transnational criminal organization.

In November 2023, Paxtor-Oxlaj caused a car accident in Elk City, Oklahoma, while he was smuggling illegal immigrants from New York to Los Angeles. That car accident resulted in the deaths of seven people who were passengers in the vehicle he drove. Of the seven people killed, three were minors, including a 4-year-old child.

Paxtor-Oxlaj was arrested in connection with the accident and was charged in the Western District of Oklahoma with being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal. He previously had been removed from the U.S. to Guatemala in 2010 and did not have legal permission to re-enter the United States.

The indictment further alleges that, from April 2024 to July 2024, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj held hostage two victims – Guatemalan nationals smuggled into the United States – who had not paid smuggling fees. The defendants allegedly threatened to kill the victims until third parties paid for their release. 

If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment. 

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(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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