TX - South Texas man convicted of human smuggling

Updated 6:14 a.m., Friday, December 7, 2012

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — A South Texas man has been convicted in a human smuggling case in which more than 30 suspected illegal immigrants were found in an apartment.

Jurors in McAllen on Thursday convicted 28-year-old Jose Luis Tobias of Edinburg of two counts of conspiring to harbor and transport immigrants and three counts of harboring such immigrants.

Border Patrol agents on Sept. 25 located at least 31 suspected illegal immigrants in an apartment in Edinburg. Prosecutors say Tobias the night before had assisted in moving some of the immigrants and was preparing to transport more individuals.

Tobias will be sentenced in February. He faces up to 10 years on the two conspiracy counts and as much as five years on each of the harboring convictions.

Further details on the immigrants weren't immediately available.

South Texas man convicted of human smuggling - SFGate