US man sentenced to 18 years for deadly migrant boat trip
By JULIE WATSON
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced a San Diego man to 18 years in prison for piloting a small vessel overloaded with 32 migrants that smashed apart in powerful surf off San Diego’s coast last year, killing three people. U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino said at Antonio Hurtado’s sentencing Friday that it was the “most egregious case” he’s seen in his courtroom. Prosecutors say Hurtado drove migrants into pounding surf while high on drugs and then jumped overboard, abandoning the passengers. More than two dozen people were injured. Hurtado’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.
