Three men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for human smuggling, kidnapping, and extortion. The crimes involved victims in Cuba, South Florida, and Louisiana, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Osmel Benitez received a 408-month sentence, Jhonny Walther Izaguirre Lopez was sentenced to 346 months, and Victor Manuel Perez Cardenas received 210 months. The men targeted migrants, using violence and threats to extort money from their families.
Court documents show that on May 18, 2024, Perez Cardenas transported migrants to Key Largo, where Benitez and others moved them to Miami. Victims were subjected to beatings, mock executions, and forced labor. Izaguirre Lopez attempted to send four migrants to Louisiana for labor, but law enforcement intervened…