Cuban sentenced to 7 and a half years for maritime smuggling that left 16 dead, including children

Yaquelín Domínguez Nieves, a 26 -year -old Cuban citizen, was sentenced this Friday seven and a half years in prison after declaring himself guilty for his participation in a failed maritime smuggling trip that left a balance of 16 dead migrants, including several minors.

Judge Beth Bloom imposed a penalty higher than that recommended by the federal judgment guidelines, considering the seriousness of the case.

The decision was announced by the federal prosecutor of the South District of Florida as part of the operation «Take Back America», an initiative focused on combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal networks.

Domínguez Nieves, who resided in Sebring, Florida, admitted to having organized a trip in 2022 for profit to transfer 18 Cubans from the island to the United States.

The journey, made in a fishing boat without adequate security equipment, ended in tragedy: 16 of the passengers drowned on the high seas, including babies, young children and adolescents.

Judicial documents and information presented during the case arrest hearing, in November 2022, indicate that Domínguez-Nieves, who illegally entered the United States, charged at least $ 11,500 to the relatives of migrants in southern Florida with the promise of bringing them from the island to the United States.

According to witnesses, migrants boarded the boat without life vests and with a captain who had no knowledge to operate the boat. The wreck occurred about 30 miles from the coast, and only two people managed to survive.

The crossing of the Florida Strait, one of the most dangerous on the Caribbean route, has been used for decades, especially by Cubans and Haitians, as a sea route to reach the United States.

More than 310 migrants have died in that attempt since 2024, according to data collected by the independent environment Eltoquewhich follows the methodology of the World Migration Organization and includes contact with relatives and people close to the victims.