Leader of Guatemala-to-U.S. human smuggling group pleads guilty in L.A. to conspiracy and hostage taking

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles-based leader of what federal prosecutors called one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the nation pleaded guilty Friday to running the group that illegally brought about 20,000 immigrants from Guatemala into the United States — including seven who died in a car crash.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, 52 — known as “Turko” — entered a plea in Los Angeles federal court to one count of conspiring to bring aliens into the U.S. for financial gain and one count of hostage taking.