San Diego, California — Felipe de Jesus Rosales-Herrera, a resident of Riverside, was sentenced today in federal court to 10 years in prison for leading a large-scale migrant smuggling operation. The scheme, which resulted in over 100 migrants being trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border, caused one fatality and put many lives at risk.
According to court documents, Rosales-Herrera organized a network of foot guides and drivers to transport migrants from the border into the U.S. He charged approximately $10,000 per person for these illegal crossings, funneling them to stash houses once inside the country.
His operation led to multiple high-speed chases and crashes, endangering not only the migrants but also law enforcement and the public. A deadly crash on December 25, 2021, marked a tragic turning point in the conspiracy.
Despite being aware of the fatal incident, Rosales-Herrera and his co-conspirators, including drivers like John Douglas Oglesby III, continued their smuggling activities. Rosales-Herrera’s driver, Kevin Antonio Quevedo-Moncada, fled from Border Patrol during the Christmas event, resulting in a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash, killing one migrant and critically injuring two others.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo condemned Rosales-Herrera for placing profits over human lives. “You traded in human life, trafficked in people… to line your own pockets,” she stated. Co-defendants Alejo-Cruz and Oglesby have already been sentenced, with one remaining accomplice, Miguel Isaac Villa-Gomez, awaiting sentencing later this year.
Migrant smuggling and human trafficking are separate offenses; however, both involve the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for financial gain. This case highlights the risks migrants face, as criminal networks often treat them as commodities, putting them in dangerous and life-threatening situations.
