Imagine that you're driving to work or school one morning when you are stopped. To the best of your knowledge, you weren't doing anything wrong. You weren't speeding or swerving, you used your turn signals, and you're wearing your seatbelt. Moreover, even when you're not in the car, you live a clean, legal life.

You left your existing job to pursue your dream job, and every morning you drive from your home in Mexico to the University of Texas. Although you live in a dangerous city, you stay away from the drug cartel and anywhere you might run into them.

So when you're stopped by the border patrol, you assume you have nothing to fear. However, when they're searching your car, they find two duffle bags full of drugs in your trunk. You're arrested on drug charges.

You spend six months in jail waiting for your trial. During that time, you're given the opportunity to plead guilty, which will minimize the charges against you and lower the time you'll spend in prison if convicted. However, since you know you're innocent, you trust the jury will come to the same conclusion.

You aren't certain what's happening, but you know things are beyond your control. Your brother lives in Texas, so you call him and ask if your wife and kids can stay with him until things are resolved.

Thankfully, he agrees. However, when you finally go to trial, the evidence stacks up against you. Fifty pounds of marijuana were found in your trunk. However, because there were no signs that the lock was tampered with, no one believes that you didn't put the drugs there.

You're convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and you're sentenced to three years in prison. Thankfully, you have a clean record. If you didn't, you could be spending up to 20 years behind bars.

Your attorney also believes in your innocence, and he files an appeal. Will the appeal be successful? What evidence will it take to prove you didn't know about the drugs? Keep reading our next post to learn more about this story.

Source: CNN, "'Blind mules' unknowingly ferry drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border," Emily Smith, Jan. 24, 2012