MARATHON, FLA. (WSVN) - Two men were arrested Wednesday in Marathon, Florida, on charges of human smuggling in violation of state law.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Oreste Carvajal Gonzalez, 33, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Roberto Carlos Medina Moreno, 19, of Lakewood, Florida, both face 23 counts of smuggling.
The arrests came after an incident on July 21, 2023, when a go-fast vessel carrying 23 Cuban migrants ran out of fuel in waters near Marathon. Authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, were involved in the rescue operation.
The vessel in question had been previously flagged by the Sheriff’s Office as a suspected migrant smuggling vessel due to past interactions with law enforcement.
Following the rescue, warrants were issued for the arrest of Carvajal Gonzalez and Medina Moreno, who were also on board the vessel. The State Attorney’s Office, along with various federal agencies, collaborated in the investigation that led to their apprehension.
Both men are accused of involvement in smuggling activities and were subsequently booked into jail to await further legal proceedings.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.