Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A Cuban national has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in federal prison in Miami for her involvement in a fatal illegal smuggling operation. Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, aged 25, was part of a plan to unlawfully transport 18 Cubans by boat from Cuba to the United States, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals.
Dominguez-Nieves, who entered the U.S. illegally in October 2022, admitted her guilt on January 21, 2025, to charges of alien smuggling conspiracy and related offenses. According to court documents, Dominguez-Nieves and her partner organized the voyage, collecting over $11,500 from family members in South Florida. On November 16, 2024, their vessel departed from Playa Jaimanitas, Cuba, but sank about 30 miles into the journey, leaving only two survivors. The survivors reported the boat being too small and lacking lifejackets and a competent captain.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered a harsher sentence than suggested by advisory guidelines given the gravity of the crime. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot.
The investigation involved the Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, U.S. Border Patrol, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting the case.
The case is a part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations in order to enhance community safety.
Further details and court documents can be accessed through the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
