A Dominican national was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 11 migrants attempting to reach the United States.
According to court records, Fermin Montilla, 45, piloted a vessel on the night of May 12, 2022, carrying 48 individuals from the Dominican Republic toward Puerto Rico. During the journey, the boat took on water and capsized, leading to 11 drownings.
“The defendant attempted to illegally smuggle 48 migrants into the United States, leading to the tragic deaths of 11 people,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Human smugglers threaten national security and exploit vulnerable people for profit with no regard for their safety.”
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico echoed those concerns, stating, “These operations not only violate U.S. law but also endanger lives, as we tragically saw in this case. We remain committed to dismantling criminal smuggling networks.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos reinforced the message, warning that smugglers endanger lives for profit. “In this one incident, we lost 11 lives. We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those responsible for exploiting immigration laws.”
Montilla pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2024, to one count of bringing unauthorized migrants into the U.S. at a location other than a designated port of entry, resulting in death.
The case was investigated by HSI San Juan, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Trial Attorney Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and U.S. Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Helena Daniel prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT), a joint initiative between the Justice Department and HSI targeting smuggling networks that pose national security risks or humanitarian concerns.
Last June, the Justice Department proposed the Deterring Human Smuggling and Harm to Victims Act of 2024, which seeks to increase penalties for prolific and dangerous smugglers. The proposal would impose steeper sentencing guidelines based on the number of people smuggled, injuries or deaths caused, and additional enhancements for crimes committed during the smuggling process.
U.S. officials continue working with Congress to advance the proposal, aiming to hold smugglers accountable for the full extent of harm caused by these dangerous operations.
DOJ
