A 25-year-old Cuban woman, Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, was recently sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for her involvement in a migrant smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, including multiple children. Dominguez-Nieves, who pleaded guilty to charges related to the smuggling scheme, entered the United States illegally in October 2022. Along with another suspect (who remains at large), she organized the illegal transportation of 18 Cuban migrants by boat to the U.S. Dominguez-Nieves collected over $11,500 from the migrants’ families prior to the ill-fated journey. Tragically, the small fishing vessel sank about 30 miles into the voyage, claiming the lives of 16 people. Survivors reported that the boat was overcrowded and lacked life jackets, with the captain displaying a lack of competence. U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom handed down a 90-month sentence, exceeding the advisory federal guidelines due to the seriousness of the crime.
