Honduran woman Maria Mendoza-Mendoza received a 10-year prison sentence for leading a human trafficking operation smuggling over 100 migrants to the U.S.
Maria Mendoza-Mendoza Sentenced to 10 Years for Human Trafficking in Migrant Smuggling Operation
Maria Mendoza-Mendoza, a Honduran woman received a 10-year prison sentence for her role in smuggling over 100 migrants from Honduras to the U.S. The judge’s decision followed her guilty plea to charges related to human trafficking as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Mendoza-Mendoza ran a criminal organization that exploited vulnerable migrants many of whom ended up in stash houses in Phoenix. She used threats to force them to pay hefty smuggling fees trapping them in a cycle of fear and debt.
Her operation collected millions of dollars in smuggling fees through funnel accounts. Migrants were kept in Phoenix stash houses until they paid up often facing threats and intimidation, according to the crime report of KTAR News.
(photo: AZCentral)
Extradited ‘La Guera’ Maria Mendoza-Mendoza Sentenced for Human Trafficking
Mendoza-Mendoza was extradited from Honduras to the U.S. in June 2023, after being indicted in January 2018. Known as “La Guera,” she faced the consequences of her crimes, which a Homeland Security Investigations special agent emphasized as a warning to other potential smugglers.
Her sentencing highlighted the toll of exploitation on vulnerable individuals. Beyond legal proceedings, it underscored the human suffering caused by Mendoza-Mendoza’s actions, serving as a reminder of the ongoing fight against exploitation and injustice.
