A 26-year-old Cuban woman, Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, who resides in Florida, has pled guilty to her involvement in a human trafficking operation that tragically led to the deaths of 16 Cuban migrants at sea in November 2022. Following her admission in a Miami court on Tuesday, as reported by Local 10, she now faces a federal prison sentence ranging from five years to life.
The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Dominguez-Nieves confessed to conspiring to smuggle migrants into the United States. She was charged in 2024 with crimes associated with human trafficking. Prosecutors stated that Dominguez-Nieves collected $11,500 from the migrants' families in South Florida to cover the expenses of the ill-fated journey.
Dominguez-Nieves sent the funds to an accomplice in Cuba, who then loaded 18 migrants onto a small vessel without life vests, captained by someone who, according to two survivors, lacked the skills to operate the boat. This was detailed in a statement from the Department of Justice.
This heart-wrenching case involved a fishing boat intended for eight people but was overloaded with 18 migrants, with only two surviving the ordeal. On November 16, 2022, the vessel sank 30 miles from its departure point, resulting in the death of 16 individuals.
Among the deceased were children and teenagers, aged between nine months and seven years, in addition to two 16-year-olds. Only four bodies were recovered from the sea, with drowning identified as the cause of death by authorities.
Dominguez-Nieves is scheduled for sentencing on April 11 in Miami's federal court.
Questions About the Tragic Migrant Trafficking Case
What were the charges against Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves?
Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves was charged with participating in a human trafficking operation that resulted in the deaths of 16 migrants. She was accused of conspiring to smuggle migrants into the United States.
How many survivors were there from the tragic incident?
Only two out of the 18 migrants survived the sinking of the overloaded vessel.
When is Dominguez-Nieves scheduled to be sentenced?
Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves is set to be sentenced on April 11 in a federal court in Miami.