A Texas jury convicted a South Carolina woman on charges related to a tractor trailer human smuggling attempt.

On July 15, 2025, a jury convicted 46 year old Sharon Thompkins of Columbia, South Carolina, for transporting illegal aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

The charges against Thompkins stem from an incident that occurred on April 26, 2025, at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Laredo, Texas.

Thompkins was a passenger in a tractor trailer operated by Ralph Young 62, also of South Carolina.

The truck approached the checkpoint and “an x-ray examination revealed anomalies in the vehicle.”

Officers searched the truck and discovered four people sitting side-by-side on the bed in the sleeper berth.

“The jury heard that Thompkins agreed to help transport aliens with Young. Testimony revealed Thompkins instructed the aliens to sit on the bed in the sleeper compartment and closed the curtains in order to conceal them. The defense attempted to convince the jury Thompkins was merely present and did not agree to illegally transport aliens. The jury did not believe those claims and found Thompkins guilty,” officials said.

Thompkins is scheduled for sentencing in September 2025. She faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Young previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and is also awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol.