Human smuggling with firearm

Location: Texas

So about 2 months ago I responded to a job posting on facebook that said they had some transportation work available. Work was slow where I was at so I commented and they messaged me. I let them know I had a f150 and could haul whatever they needed within reason and that I didn’t have a CDL. They asked me to go to Eagle Pass Texas and primarily communicated through whatsapp and had me share my location.

After arriving after a 5 hour drive with a buddy to help me load whatever we needed they said there was a delay and they sent money for a hotel room for the night. The next morning they sent a pin drop and told me to head there. It was down some backroad by the main highway on the way out of town about 20 minutes from the hotel. When we get to the pin I stopped when I didn’t see anything nearby.

Out of nowhere the backdoor opens and 2 people climb in and start covering themselves up. They didn’t speak a word of English. I couldn’t tell them anything because they didn’t speak a word of English. At the same time the guy who organized the whole thing was on the phone saying, go go go. We started leaving the area and me and my buddy were trying to figure out what to do. 2 minutes after getting on the main highway a trooper passes by and makes a U turn and stays on our bumper for the next 20 minutes. I turn off the exit and see a helicopter overhead. I make 2 more left turns by the overpass off the exit to see if I was being followed and they pulled us over immediately after making the 2nd left.

We stop and the trooper comes to the window and says “we pulled you over because you touched the white line.” I argue that I didn’t touch the line and that my truck has lane keep assist which won’t let you accidentally touch the white line. At this time I notice there are about 30 police and border patrol cars/vans/trucks around me with the helicopter hovering overhead. At this point I know that we’re in trouble and that we were getting arrested. They weren’t interested in right or wrong at this point.

They asked to search my vehicle and I told them no they can’t and there’s no reason to search my vehicle over an alleged traffic violation. Then another guy comes up and says he’s gonna bring his dog over to do a free air sniff to see if there’s anything we have that we shouldn’t. He circles the dog around 6-7 times around the vehicle and the dog isn’t doing anything noticeable, just walking and breathing. He didn’t yip, bark, sit, jump, or anything ofnthat nature. After he has the dog circle the truck 6-7 times he said that the dog alerted to people in the truck which gives them probable cause to search the truck. I told him that the dog didn’t give any signs of such a thing and I asked what the dog did to notify him that there was something in there. He said that only he knew the signal as his handler which is pretty convenient.

They search the truck and find 2 people hiding in the backseat under a blanket. They also find my 1911. The gun was mine and in my name. I’ve never been arrested before at this point. They charged me with 2 counts of alien smuggling with a firearm and my buddy with 2 counts of alien smuggling. On the way to the processing center they asked how everything came to be and I told them that we got bamboozled and didnt know what we got involved in. We thought it was hotshotting work and didn’t know until it was too late.

We bonded out the next day. Obviously me and by buddy are going to need a lawyer but I was told that they are backed up with those cases for 2-3 years. Does anyone know what would normally happen in a situation such as this, if a lawyer would be able to get this dismissed and if they aren’t for some reason what would likely happen next? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.