Mother and Daughter Found Guilty of Smuggling Undocumented Immigrant
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
A federal jury found 22-year-old Charisma Vidal from Lubbock guilty of transporting undocumented immigrants through South Texas, following a two-day trial where jurors deliberated for about two hours. Her mother, 45-year-old Darlene Vidal, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge before the trial began. The incident occurred on June 30, when Darlene was driving a Dodge Caravan with Charisma as a passenger and arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias. During the initial inspection, authorities noticed blankets covering the third-row seats and discovered an undocumented Mexican citizen underneath. Testimony revealed that the women had picked up the migrant at a residence near McAllen that same day, after traveling from Lubbock and having spent less than a day in the area. The prosecution stated that the passenger had paid Darlene for the trip, with cell phone evidence indicating the payment. The defense argued that Charisma believed her mother was providing a rideshare service and was unaware of the passenger's illegal status, but the jury dismissed these claims based on the evidence presented. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2027. By that date, Charisma Vidal faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, although she has been allowed to remain free on bail while awaiting the final resolution.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
