A federal district judge in Miami sentenced a 25-year-old woman to seven and a half years in prison on Friday for her involvement in a journey that resulted in the deaths of over a dozen individuals attempting to illegally enter the United States, according to WFLA.
Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, a Cuban national who entered the country unlawfully in October 2022, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle aliens and related charges earlier this year, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Just a month after arriving in the U.S., officials reported that Dominguez-Nieves and her boyfriend started planning to illegally transport 18 Cubans by boat from the island. They intended to navigate through the Florida Straits to reach the coast of Florida.
They charged fees for the journey, collecting approximately $11,500 from the families of the migrants in South Florida, assuring them that they would safely deliver their loved ones across the water. On November 16, 2024, all 18 individuals boarded a fishing boat that set off from Playa Jaimanitas. It was reported that the boat had only traveled about 30 miles when it began to sink, leading to just two survivors.
Among those who lost their lives were children, with officials noting that three of their bodies were found washed ashore in Monroe County. Their cause of death was attributed to “drowning.” The two survivors indicated that the boat was too small for 18 people, didn’t have lifejackets, and the captain appeared to be inexperienced, according to their accounts.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
