Human smuggler who rammed Coast Guard boat off California sentenced to 5 years in federal prison

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A boat captain who rammed a U.S. Coast Guard vessel off Southern California after smuggling a dozen people into the country has been sentenced to five years in federal prison. Jesus Alcaraz-Valdez was sentenced Wednesday in San Diego for the December 2022 incident. Prosecutors say Alcaraz had dropped off a dozen people in the surf off Coronado and was fleeing when a Coast Guard vessel tried to stop him. Authorities say he rammed the boat twice, shattering a window and causing minor back and neck injuries to all four people aboard. Alcaraz was arrested after Coast Guard gunshots disabled the panga’s engine. He pleaded guilty to assault and human smuggling in March.