- The Justice Department announced the arrests of two Guatemalan nationals, Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj. The two allegedly led one of the largest human smuggling operations in the nation, involving 20,000 immigrants.
- Meanwhile, José Paxtor-Oxalj was arrested in connection to a deadly car crash in Oklahoma that killed seven migrants living in the country illegally. Helmer Obispo-Hernandez is facing additional charges for threatening a federal officer.
- All four defendants face charges related to smuggling, transporting, and harboring aliens, some of which carry the death penalty.
Full Story
The Justice Department announced the arrests of two Guatemalan nationals. They are accused of leading “one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States.”
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A third Guatemalan national, working on behalf of the two alleged ring leaders, was also arrested in connection to a deadly November 2023 car crash in Oklahoma. It resulted in the deaths of seven migrants living in the country illegally.
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Alleged ring leaders arrested near downtown Los Angeles
Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 51, and his alleged “right-hand man,” 49-year-old Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, were arrested Friday, Feb. 28, near downtown Los Angeles.
Federal prosecutors say the two orchestrated a smuggling ring that moved approximately 20,000 Guatemalan immigrants across the U.S. southern border to various destinations in the U.S.
The Justice Department says the operation spanned more than five years, from 2019 through July 2024. During that time, Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj allegedly brought the immigrants to the U.S. and held some of them in stash houses if they did not pay their dues.
The indictment alleges that the defendants accepted payments ranging from $15,000 to $18,000 for each immigrant smuggled into the country.
Fatal Oklahoma car crash linked to smuggling operation
José Paxtor-Oxalj, working on behalf of Renoj-Matul and Mejia-Chaj, is accused of being the driver in a fatal Oklahoma car crash. Prosecutors say he was transporting migrants living in the country illegally from New York to Los Angeles when he caused a crash that killed seven people, including three children.
During the alleged offenses, the Justice Department says all the defendants were living illegally in the United States.
Paxtor-Oxalj had previously been removed from the country in 2010 and did not have permission to re-enter, according to the Justice Department.
Charges and further arrests
According to Justice Department documents, 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, which resulted in death.
Two of the defendants are also charged with two counts of hostage-taking.
In addition to those charges, a fourth man, 41-year-old Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, is charged with threatening to cut off the heads of a federal officer and members of his family. That threat allegedly occurred while law enforcement conducted a search warrant Friday in connection with the human smuggling ring.
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“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 defendants were arraigned Friday and ordered to stand trial April 22. If convicted of all charges, the defendants could face life in prison or the death penalty.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED THE ARRESTS OF TWO GUATEMALAN NATIONALS ACCUSED OF LEADING “ONE OF THE LARGEST HUMAN SMUGGLING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.”
A THIRD GUATEMALAN NATIONAL WAS ALSO ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO A DEADLY NOVEMBER 2023 CAR CRASH IN OKLAHOMA WHICH RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF SEVEN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.
51-YEAR-OLD EDUARDO DOMINGO RENOJ-MATUL AND HIS ALLEGED “RIGHT-HAND MAN” 49-YEAR-OLD CRISTOBAL MEJIA-CHAJ WERE ARRESTED FRIDAY NEAR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY THE TWO ORCHESTRATED A RING AND SMUGGLED APPROXIMATELY 20-THOUSAND GUATEMALAN IMMIGRANTS FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRY ACROSS THE US SOUTHERN BORDER TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS IN THE U-S.
THE DOJ SAYS THE OPERATION TOOK PLACE OVER A MORE THAN 5-YEAR PERIOD FROM 2019 THROUGH JULY 2025 IN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES RENOJ-MATUL AND MEJIA-CHAJ BROUGHT THE IMMIGRANTS TO THE U-S AND HELD SOME OF THE IMMIGRANTS IN STASH HOUSES IF THEY DIDN’T PAY THEIR DUES.
THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THE DEFENDANTS ACCEPTED PAYMENTS RANGING FROM $15,000 TO $18,000 FOR EACH IMMIGRANT SMUGGLED INTO THE COUNTRY.
PAXTOR-OXLAJ IS ACCUSED OF BEING THE DRIVER IN THE FATAL ELK CITY, OKLAHOMA, CAR CRASH. PROSECUTORS SAY HE WAS DRIVING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM NEW YORK TO LOS ANGELES WHEN HE CAUSED THE CRASH THAT ENDED THE LIVES OF SEVEN PEOPLE INCLUDING THREE CHILDREN, ONE WAS JUST A 4-YEAR-OLD CHILD.
DURING THE ALLEGED OFFENSES, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS ALL THE DEFENDANTS WERE LIVING ILLEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
JOSE PAXTOR-OXLAJ HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REMOVED FROM THE COUNTRY IN 2010 AND DID NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO RE-ENTER THE US, ACCORDING TO THE DOJ.
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.
TWO ARE CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF HOSTAGE TAKING.
ON TOP OF THOSE CHARGES, A FOURTH MAN, 41-YEAR-OLD HELMER OBISPO-HERNANDEZ IS CHARGED WITH THREATENING TO CUT OFF THE HEADS OF A FEDERAL OFFICER AND MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY – AS LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS CONDUCTING THE SEARCH WARRANT FRIDAY.
“THESE SMUGGLING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE AND THEIR CONDUCT KILLS. THEIR MEMBERS POSE A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE MUST VIGOROUSLY ENFORCE OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS SO THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT OPERATE.” – SAID ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY JOSEPH T. MCNALLY.
THE DEFENDANTS WERE ARRAIGNED FRIDAY AND ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL APRIL 22.
IF CONVICTED OF ALL CHARGES, THE DEFENDANTS WOULD FACE A LIFE IN PRISON OR THE DEATH PENALTY.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 29%
Center 29%
Right 41%
Bias Summary
- Federal authorities arrested Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul and Cristobal Mejia-Chaj for leading a human smuggling ring that transported approximately 20,000 immigrants from Guatemala to the U.S. over five years.
- The smuggling organization is accused of holding individuals hostage and is linked to a fatal vehicle crash in Oklahoma that resulted in seven deaths, including a child, according to prosecutors.
- U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated that the smuggling organization has "no regard for human life" and emphasized the dangers involved in human smuggling.
- The investigation continues as authorities pursue additional suspects and seek public assistance to combat human trafficking crimes.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
emphasize the severity of criminal activities and the potential death penalty, portraying the leaders as significant villains.
Media outlets in the center
present the arrests, focusing on ongoing investigations and indicating systemic issues in human trafficking.
Media outlets on the right
introduce specifics about hostage situations and threats against law enforcement, framing the smuggling as both violent and deeply disturbing.
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Bias Distribution
20 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
20
Leaning Left
5
Center
5
Leaning Right
7
Last Updated
13 hours ago
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