Pharr Man Convicted in Human Smuggling Case near Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI- A Pharr man was found guilty in a human smuggling case near Corpus Christi.
Heriberto Lerma Jr. was driving a tractor trailer through the Javier Vega Jr. Checkpoint, near Sarita back in April.
Lerma told Border Patrol agents he was hauling a load of building materials.
When they noticed the door on his trailer didn't look right, a canine found 27 people hidden inside.
All of them were in the United States illegally.
Lerma claimed he didn't know the people were there.
His sentencing is set for November.