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An undocumented Cuban woman involved in a human smuggling operation that killed 16 people on their way to South Florida was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison on Friday.
According to officials, Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, 25, pled guilty to alien smuggling conspiracy and related charges on Jan. 21, 2025.
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WATCH HEREDominguez-Nieves entered the U.S. illegibly in October of 2022 and that November, she and her boyfriend arranged a scheme to smuggle 18 Cubans from the island by boat, through the Florida straits and eventually into the U.S., officials said.
During that operation, the pair charged a fee to South Florida families who wanted to bring their relatives into the country.
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Officials said Dominguez-Nieves collected up to $11,500.
The smuggling scheme then began on Nov. 16, 2022, when a boat left Cuba and headed towards South Florida with 18 migrants.
While on the water, the boat sank and killed 16 people on board, including children.
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Officials said three bodies washed up shore in Monroe County and the cause of death was determined to be drowning.
Two survivors told investigators that the boat they were on was too small to carry everyone, there were no lifejackets on board and the captain seemed to not know what he was doing.
