Human Smuggling Ringleader Extradited From Mexico to El Paso

Osvaldo Coronel-Fernandez, also known as “Omero,” has been extradited from Mexico City to El Paso to face federal charges related to human smuggling operations. The 2019 indictment alleges that between July 2015 and August 2016, Coronel-Fernandez was involved in smuggling unauthorized individuals into the United States through the El Paso corridor for financial gain. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each charge. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs collaborated with Mexican law enforcement to secure his arrest and extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Watts is prosecuting the case.