SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATHTexas Penal Code (PC) § 20.05(b)(1)(a)
“SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH” stands for Smuggling of Persons Creating a Likelihood of Serious Bodily Injury or Death, a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 20.05(b)(1)(a). It is punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH” mean?
“SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH” stands for Smuggling of Persons Creating a Likelihood of Serious Bodily Injury or Death, a second-degree felony under Texas PC § 20.05(b)(1)(a).
Texas Penal Code § 20.05 defines smuggling of persons: knowingly using a motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other means of conveyance to transport an individual with intent to conceal the individual from a peace officer or special investigator or to flee from an officer attempting a lawful arrest or detention; knowingly encouraging or inducing a person to enter or remain in the United States in violation of federal law by concealing, harboring, or shielding that person from detection; or knowingly assisting, guiding, or directing two or more individuals to enter or remain on agricultural land without the owner's effective consent. This charge, under § 20.05(b)(1)(A), is the second-degree felony variant alleging the offense was committed in a manner that created a substantial likelihood that the smuggled individual would suffer serious bodily injury (the court-record abbreviation SBI) or death, such as transport in dangerous, life-threatening conditions.
How did real SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Smuggling of Persons Creating a Likelihood of Serious Bodily Injury or Death in Texas?
2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second-degree felony | 2 to 20 years in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.33 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH in Texas?
The median bail is $20,000, and 2% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 1,350 Texas bail settings for this charge (12 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $20,000 (middle half: $10,000 – $50,000). 2% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 62 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (129 records), the median was $40,000 and 1% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Val Verde | 236 | $20,000 | $10,000 – $62,500 | 2% | 1% |
| Kenedy | 229 | $20,000 | $20,000 – $20,000 | 0% | 0% |
| Webb | 186 | $15,000 | $5,000 – $50,000 | 0% | 0% |
| El Paso | 95 | $35,000 | $25,000 – $100,000 | 0% | 27% |
| Hays | 91 | $60,000 | $22,500 – $100,000 | 0% | 1% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
Charged with SMUGGLING OF PERSONS: LIKELIHOOD SBI OR DEATH?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.