United States of America v. Jorge Armando Preciado-Vasquez and Alexis Martinez-Preciado

San Diego, California Criminal Defense Lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Maritime Smuggling Effort That Left Three Dead

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

Defendants were found guilty and was sentenced to 54 and 50 months in prison