SAN ANTONIO — A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court on a charge related to the deaths of 53 migrants in a hot tractor-trailer in San Antonio in 2022.
The smuggling attempt resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children on June 27, 2022. The trailer was found on Quintana Road.
Court documents say Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 38, was a member of the human smuggling organization responsible for the failed smuggling attempt. The documents say the organization brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the U.S. Officials say Rivera-Leal would meet the tractor-trailers that had brought migrants to San Antonio and transport smaller groups in his personal vehicle to Houston.
Rivera-Leal pleaded guilty to one count of "conspiracy to transport aliens." He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
He is the fourth suspect to plead guilty in this case. The other suspects include Homero Zamorano Jr., 47, who police say served as the driver of the tractor-trailer; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 29; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 54.
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