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SAN DIEGO, Aug. 13 (AP) A federal judge on Friday sentenced a San Diego man to 18 years in prison for driving a boat carrying 32 migrants in strong surf off the coast of San Diego last year. It was crashed, killing three people.
Before sentencing 40-year-old Antonio Hurtado, U.S. District Judge Janis L Sammartino called it “the most egregious case that I have faced in my courtroom in the Southern District of California in 15 years.”
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In May 2021, Hurtado became addicted to drugs as he led migrants into rough, stormy seas in the dark, prosecutors said. When waves of 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) pounded the boat, he jumped off the boat and swam ashore, abandoning the passengers he told to hide in the cabin and below deck. The boat capsized and broke apart as they were thrown into dangerous early morning waters. A lawyer for Hurtado could not be reached for comment.
More than two dozen people were injured, including a 15-year-old Mexican boy and a 15-year-old Mexican girl.
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The 32 migrants – all but one from Mexico – have agreed to pay between $15,000 and $18,000 to be smuggled into the United States.
Investigations revealed that they had boarded their first boat in the small fishing village of Nueva Nueva, Baja California, Mexico. From there, prosecutors said, from there, Hurtado and his 40-foot boat — dubbed “The Salty Lady” — were sailing offshore for about two hours off the Coronado Islands. Waiting to pick them up and take them to the coast of San Diego.
Prosecutors said Hurtado passed out for an hour after taking drugs before passengers woke him up. The ship’s engine then failed, but Hertado ignored the passengers’ pleas for help from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Instead, he jumped off the boat when it began to roll and swam to shore.
Rangers in Cabrillo National Park saw the boat capsize and joined hikers in calling the U.S. Coast Guard, one of many federal and local agencies that responded. In the end, 29 people were rescued. According to the medical examiner’s report, the three migrants, Maricela Hernandez-Sanchez, Victor Perez-Degollado and Maria Eugenia Chavez-Segovia suffered blunt force trauma and drowned.
Hurtado was identified as the captain by immigrants and detained. He told authorities he was “coming down” from drugs and was taken to hospital for detoxification.
He also put his knee in the face of a U.S. Border Patrol agent as he tried to restrain him with an ankle before transporting him, the investigation revealed.
U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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