An illegal immigrant from Guatemala has been arrested on a four-count indictment alleging he led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, a ring that smuggled approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from Guatemala to destinations nationwide over a five-year span, holding some of them hostage in stash houses and ultimately resulting in the deaths of seven illegal immigrants – including a 4-year-old child – who were killed in a November 2023 car accident in Oklahoma, the Justice Department announced today.
Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 51, a.k.a. “Turko,” of the Westlake neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles, was arrested Friday morning along with his alleged right-hand man, Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, 49, also of the Westlake neighborhood. These defendants were arraigned Friday and ordered to stand trial on April 22. A federal magistrate judge also ordered them jailed without bond.
An illegal immigrant from Guatemala charged with leading one of the largest human smuggling rings in the United States—Orchestrating the smuggling of roughly 20,000 Guatemalans into the U.S. who each paid $15-18k during a five-year span—From 2019 to July 2024.
51 y/p Eduardo… pic.twitter.com/xsQtjK53za
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) March 3, 2025
Renoj-Matul allegedly led one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the United States, moving approximately 20,000 illegal immigrants from 2019 through July 2024.
