SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 7, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging three Dominican Republic nationals in connection with a maritime human smuggling venture that capsized near Mona Island, Puerto Rico, on September 28, 2026, resulting in three deaths. Twelve individuals are missing. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO), Puerto Rico Police Department Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción (FURA) units, and a good Samaritan boater conducted a coordinated search-and-rescue response. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan is in charge of the investigation.
According to court documents, Máximo Alexander Castillo-Cabrera, and Víctor Alfonso Montilla-Espíritu Santo are charged with knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree with each other and with persons unknown to the Grand Jury, to bring to the United States illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain, namely J.A.T., M.T.M., A.M.G., H.M.A., and others, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that such aliens had not received prior official authorization to come to, enter, and reside in the United States, regardless of any official action which may later be taken with respect to such aliens.
A third defendant, Danny De La Rosa-Mercedes is facing one count for unlawfully and intentionally performing and attempting to perform acts of violence against multiple people, that is, he assaulted and attempted to assault more than one person with a machete while on board a covered ship, and that act was likely to endanger and endangered the safe navigation of that ship, resulting in death.
All three defendants are facing one count each of improper entry by alien. Authorities rescued 49 foreign nationals and recovered the bodies of three Dominican male nationals. “The defendants attempted to illegally smuggle 64 migrants into Puerto Rico, leading to the tragic deaths of three people and 12 individuals are still missing. This case demonstrates the grave danger associated with human smuggling operations,” said Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Human smugglers threaten our national security and exploit vulnerable people for profit with no regard for their safety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to bring those who smuggle illegal aliens to justice and dismantle their criminal organizations.”
“Three deaths are far too high a price to pay for an illegal venture to enter the United States,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “Do not take this journey to sea. These smuggling ventures are dangerous, reckless and exploitative, and they may be your final trip anywhere. HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and hold accountable the individuals who place human lives at risk for profit.”
“Thanks to the courageous effort of Good Samaritans and the swift, synchronized response between the U.S. Coast Guard, federal and local partners in Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic’s Navy and Air Force, 49 human lives were pulled from the sea after a catastrophic vessel capsize,” said Capt. Robert E. Stiles, Sector San Juan deputy. “Yet, the tragic recovery of three deceased individuals and those still unaccounted for stands as a grim indictment of unlawful maritime migration. This case is an example of our unified commitment to interdict these voyages, dismantle the transnational criminal networks behind them, and bring human smugglers responsible to justice.”
“This indictment reflects the close coordination among CGIS, HSI, and our HSTF San Juan law-enforcement partners to pursue accountability for the alleged criminal conduct behind this devastating tragedy,” said Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. “Human smugglers exploit vulnerable people for profit and place lives at extreme risk in one of the most dangerous maritime environments in the region. Drawing on the Coast Guard’s unique operational knowledge, maritime expertise, and investigative capabilities, CGIS works with our partners to carry operational responses forward into criminal accountability, prosecution, and deterrence.”
“Human smugglers who profit by placing people aboard dangerously overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels show a reckless disregard for human life. CBP Air and Marine Operations remains committed to working alongside our federal, state and local partners to respond to maritime emergencies, protect lives at sea, and disrupt the criminal networks that exploit vulnerable people through these dangerous voyages,” said Christopher Hunter, Director of the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch.
If convicted, the defendants face the following possible penalties: a mandatory minimum of three years up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to bring in illegal aliens for financial gain; a maximum penalty of life in prison or capital punishment for bringing in certain illegal aliens, resulting in death; a maximum penalty of life in prison or capital punishment for violence against maritime navigation, resulting in death; and up to six months in prison for the improper entry by alien counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Liong Rodríguez is prosecuting the case.
The investigation is ongoing and will be part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The HSTF will bring all available resources to bring to justice all who planned, profited from, or carried out this illegal crossing that resulted in a tragedy.
The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative was established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.