Man Gets 13 Years For Heading Up Human Smuggling Ring

SAN DIEGO (KNX1070) — A man, who pleaded guilty to heading up a human smuggling ring, has been sentenced to 13 years in Federal prison.

Carlos Gomez-Garcia has helped more than 100 aliens across the border. His latest effort involved setting up a landing site on a Del Mar beach last August for a panga boat carrying 23 Mexicans, one of whom was a convicted felon, KNX 1070's Brian Ping reports.

The vessel was intercepted by federal authorities and the aliens were taken into custody.

Gomez-Garcia was also ordered to forfeit $180,000 that he received from the passengers in exchange for getting them into the United States.

Eight members of his organization have pleaded guilty, and his live-in girlfriend Monica Lopez was sentenced to eighteen months in prison back in March.