Charisma Vidal was found guilty by a federal jury, while her mother, Darlene Vidal, previously pleaded guilty in the same case.
FALFURRIAS, Texas — A federal jury convicted a 22-year-old Lubbock woman after authorities found a man hidden under blankets in a van at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint.
Charisma Vidal was found guilty of illegally transporting a Mexican citizen through South Texas. Her mother, 45-year-old Darlene Vidal, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge.
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The case stems from June 30, when Darlene Vidal drove a Dodge Caravan to the checkpoint with her daughter in the passenger seat.
Authorities noticed blankets covering the third-row seats during an inspection. Underneath them, they found a Mexican citizen without legal immigration status in the United States.
Jurors heard that the mother and daughter picked the man up from a home near McAllen earlier that day. They stopped for gas before continuing north, and the man hid under blankets before they reached the checkpoint.
Charisma Vidal’s defense argued that she believed her mother had picked up the man as part of her rideshare work and that she did not know he was in the country illegally.
Jurors were also shown cellphone evidence indicating the man paid Darlene Vidal for the trip. Testimony showed the women had traveled from Lubbock, slept overnight in their van, and spent less than a day in McAllen before heading back north.
After about two hours of deliberations, the jury found Charisma Vidal guilty. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales scheduled sentencing for Jan. 20, 2027.
Charisma Vidal faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000. She will remain free on bond until sentencing.