They were caught smuggling migrants. Feds say 2 Florida men told them it was to pay debt

Two Bradenton men stopped by U.S. Customs agents off the coast of the Florida Keys helming a boat packed with Cuban migrants said they agreed to the smuggling venture to make enough money to pay off a large debt, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court this week.

A Customs Air and Marine Operations plane began tracking the 35-foot center console boat as it passed Cay Sal Bank in the Bahamas on Monday. A Customs patrol boat intercepted the vessel on Tuesday as it neared the Keys, about 11 nautical miles off the coast of Ocean Reef Club in North Key Largo, according to the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations complaint.

Two men were standing at the helm: Dianny Rodriguez Perez and Onelio Hernandez Gutierrez. According to the complaint, both men obtained legal permanent U.S. residency and live in Bradenton.

Also on the boat were 17 people from Cuba who did not have legal permission to enter the United States, the complaint states.

Agents also found two handguns, a Garmin GPS, a satellite phone and several “miscellaneous” cellphones on the boat.

A check of the GPS showed the boat left Homestead on Monday and traveled to Cayo Fragoso, Cuba, then to Cay Sal, Bahamas.

After being read their rights, Hernandez Gutierrez told agents he agreed to take the job because he owed someone $108,000. Rodriguez Perez said he went along to help Hernandez Gutierrez pay off the debt, the complaint states.

Both men face a charge of “conspiring to encourage and induce aliens to enter the United States,” according to the complaint.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 19 in front of a Key West federal judge.

The people on the boat were processed to be sent back to Cuba.