A Houston truck driver was recently convicted by a jury on charges related to a human smuggling attempt discovered by U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Armando Balladares-Prado, 66, was convicted on human smuggling charges following a two-day jury trial, according to a June 5, 2025, statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

Officials say that the jury deliberated for only an hour before returning the guilty verdict.

On May 5, 2024, Balladares-Prado was operating a tractor-trailer when he entered a Border Patrol checkpoint south of Falfurrias for a primary immigration inspection.

“The jury heard that he seemed nervous but provided consent for an x-ray examination of his tractor-trailer. The vehicle was completely empty but had a seal and lock on it as if there was a full transport load in the back. Authorities soon found two individuals hidden underneath the bed of the sleeper compartment. Both were determined to be citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States. Testimony revealed Balladares-Prado told the aliens to get under the bed and instructed them on what to say if law enforcement discovered them,” officials said.

Lawyers representing Balladares-Prado said that the two people had entered the truck and pulled the bed down on top of themselves, but “contradictory evidence showed that to be virtually impossible,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Balladares-Prado is scheduled for sentencing on September 3, 2025. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Balladares-Prado has been a lawful permanent resident in the United States since 1989.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection as part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at fighting illegal immigration and cartels.