A 25-year-old Cuban woman involved in a deadly human smuggling operation that led to the deaths of 16 people was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison on Friday.
Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, who pled guilty to alien smuggling conspiracy and related charges on January 21, 2025, played a key role in a scheme to smuggle 18 Cubans into the United States by boat. The operation tragically ended in disaster when the boat sank, resulting in the loss of 16 lives, including several children.
According to officials, Dominguez-Nieves entered the U.S. illegally in October 2022. A month later, she and her boyfriend arranged to smuggle 18 Cuban migrants by boat from Cuba through the Florida Straits to South Florida. In exchange for a fee, they facilitated the dangerous journey, which included collecting over $11,500 from families in South Florida who sought to bring their relatives into the U.S.
The ill-fated voyage began on November 16, 2024, when the smugglers’ fishing boat left Playa Jaimanitas, Cuba, bound for South Florida. However, the boat sank approximately 30 miles into the journey, drowning 16 people. Three bodies were later recovered in Monroe County, Florida, and the cause of death was determined to be drowning. Two survivors who managed to make it ashore provided investigators with crucial details, revealing that the boat was overcrowded and lacked lifejackets. The captain, they said, seemed unqualified to handle the vessel.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom imposed a sentence that exceeded the recommendation of the federal sentencing guidelines due to the severity of the offense. Judge Bloom highlighted the deadly consequences of Dominguez-Nieves’ actions, which directly led to the tragic loss of life.
The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Southeast Field Office, with support from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, U.S. Border Patrol, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and reducing violent crime. The operation coordinates resources from multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot of the CGIS Southeast Field Office both praised the sentence, emphasizing the importance of holding those responsible for such dangerous criminal activities accountable.
