Court Gives 70‑Month Terms to Mexican Pilots After Deadly Del Mar Smuggling Incident

A California federal court sentenced Mexican boat captains Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leva (28) and Julio Cesar Juniga Luna (32) to 70 months behind bars each for their involvement in a fatal human‑smuggling operation that unfolded off Del Mar in May 2025. The overloaded boat, carrying 19 migrants from Popotla, Mexico, suffered a mechanical breakdown, prompting the crew to return for repairs before attempting the crossing again.

When the vessel neared the U.S. shoreline, the pilots instructed passengers to remove life jackets to facilitate a rapid transfer to waiting automobiles. Within a few hundred yards, the engine failed a second time, and the boat capsized in turbulent waters. Bystanders filmed the event and immediately reported it to authorities.

A coordinated response involving Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard, local lifeguards and Border Patrol rescued four survivors and provided medical treatment. Four victims – two Indian children aged 14 and 10 and two Mexican adults – were confirmed dead at the scene.

U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon remarked that the sentencing “demonstrates that greed that puts profit above human life will be met with serious punishment.” The defendants had entered guilty pleas on April 14 to charges of illegal transportation of persons for profit resulting in death. Court records also identified a smuggling network that employs drivers in Mexico to move migrants from boats to hidden vehicles, collaborating with counterparts on the U.S. side.