A Texas man is in deep trouble after a federal jury smacked him with a guilty verdict for human smuggling. Zenen Torres-Perdomo, 63, from Laredo was convicted in Corpus Christi on charges of attempting to transport undocumented immigrants in the bed of his tractor-trailer, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
It didn't take long for the jury to come to a decision — less than two hours after hearing the case for a day and a half. Back on Aug. 1, 2023, Torres-Perdomo made the mistake of driving up to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint, where his cargo was sniffed out by a K-9, according to the Justice Department. Law enforcement found eight illegal aliens crammed into the sleeper area of his ride.
The driver took the stand in his own defense, claiming he was clueless about the human haul in the back. But the jury didn't buy his story, Torres-Perdomo is sentenced to up to five years in federal prison and might get slapped with a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing will be held at a later date by U.S. District Judge David S. Morales, who will preside over the trial.
