Homero Zamorano Jr., a Texas truck driver, pleaded guilty to charges in the 2022 smuggling tragedy that left 53 migrants dead in a sweltering trailer near San Antonio.

Facing life in prison, Zamorano admitted to transporting migrants in unsafe conditions, knowing the trailer’s air-conditioning was broken.

The incident, the deadliest smuggling attempt on the U.S.-Mexico border, involved migrants from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, who paid up to $15,000 each, the Associated Press has reported.

Authorities have also charged accomplices, including Christian Martinez and others tied to international smuggling networks. Sentencing is scheduled for April 24.

Written by B.C. Begley