A man who arranged a human smuggling attempt that led to the drowning deaths of three migrants in Ocean Beach was sentenced Friday to five years in prison.
Faustino Romero De La Cruz admitted in a plea agreement to coordinating the transportation of more than 10 migrants from Mexico to the United States in a boat that ended up capsizing on the morning of April 10, 2022.
In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors wrote that the vessel was only rated to carry five passengers.
After the boat capsized, rescue personnel found nine people near the beach surrounding the Ocean Beach Pier.
One of those people was later pronounced dead.
The second victim’s body washed up about 15 blocks north of the pier a day later, prosecutors said. The third body was discovered near Dog Beach about two weeks later.
Prosecutors said that De La Cruz typically charged upwards of $10,000 for individuals seeking to obtain entry to the U.S.
De La Cruz’s defense attorney, Isaac Blumberg, wrote in his sentencing papers that his client was remorseful.
During a phone call with one of the deceased victim’s family members, De La Cruz, the attorney wrote, “cried, apologized repeatedly and expressed his deep regret. He acknowledged the pain caused by the incident and emphasized his willingness to assist the family in any way possible.”
He was arrested in February 2024 in Santa Barbara. He later pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court to charges that included taking part in a conspiracy to bring migrants to the U.S. in a manner that results in death.
