Community Corner
Human Smuggler Faces 90 Years in Prison After Nightmare Journey
When his boat broke down off the coast, smuggler Jesus Quinones-Chavez threatened to shoot passengers who called for help.
A Mexican man convicted in the failed smuggling of seven people into the U.S. aboard a vessel that broke down off the San Clemente coast faces up to 90 years in prison, authorities said today.
Jesus Quinones-Chavez, 57, of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, was convicted Thursday of the conspiracy to bring Mexican nationals into the country illegally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
Jurors deliberated for about five hours following a six-day trial.
Quinones-Chavez piloted a 24-foot Bayliner from Mexico on Sept. 15, 2012, but it ran out of gas 20 miles from Oceanside, ICE officials said.
The defendant threatened to shoot his seven passengers if they called police while waiting for help, according to the agency.
The boat was stranded at sea for a day before another vessel stopped and gave them fuel. The boat's engine, however, conked out and could not make it to Newport Beach, so after a rough landing near Cypress shore in San Clemente, they all got off.
One passenger was hurt jumping off the boat and had to be hospitalized.
The passengers were charged $7,000 to $12,000 to be brought into the country from Puerto Nuevo, Baja, ICE officials said.
Quinones-Chavez was scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 30.
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- City News Service
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