A 48-yearold man from Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been convicted of unlawfully transporting four illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling.On the evening of Jan. 5, Mercado drove to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a Ford F350 pickup truck. After a K-9 alerted to the vehicle, authorities referred him for further inspection.An X-ray scan revealed at least two individuals in the truck’s wheel wells – found bolted inside modified wheel well compartments. Law enforcement also ...