Two men from Miami were charged with human trafficking after being detained by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) in mid-July, in waters near Islamorada, while traveling on a boat headed to Cuba, authorities reported on Tuesday.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and other law enforcement agencies, along with the State Attorney's Office, filed charges against Oscar Alfredo Bustamante Semeren, 29, and Alejandro Gauche Valdez, 35, for human trafficking.
Around 10:10 p.m. on July 15, the USCG stopped the boat in which the men were traveling, in the area of Cotton Key Basin, near mile marker 86.
The GPS of the vessel indicated an active route to Cuba, and Bustamante admitted that they were heading to the island to pick up Cuban citizens, according to a statement from the MCSO.
Both are currently in a prison in Miami for charges related to firearms, assault, and vehicle theft, but arrest warrants have already been issued against them in Monroe County for human trafficking.
The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the suspects, but the Monroe County Sheriff's Office continued the investigation of the case, in collaboration with the State Attorney's Office.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay criticized the U.S. Attorney's Office for declining the case.
"We will continue to take a firm stance against crime, even when the U.S. Attorney's Office fails to do its job. The unwillingness of the Prosecutor's Office to pursue criminals who traffic in human beings is sad. These criminals continue to wreak havoc in our community and in other communities," Ramsay emphasized.
The investigation also showed that Bustamante is connected to the violent gang "Tren de Aragua" from Venezuela.
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