Thread: NY-Two Canadian men charged,illegally entering U.S.

Two Canadian men charged in Pulaski with illegally entering U.S.
By John Mariani
November 24, 2009, 9:56AM

Pulaski, NY -- The U.S. marshal in Syracuse is detaining two Canadian men suspected of being drug and tobacco smugglers whom Customs and Border Protection officials say entered the country illegally Friday in Pulaski.

The two, Michael Pinto and Charles Hatch, appeared Saturday before U.S. Magistrate George H. Lowe are being held without bail pending further proceedings in U.S. District Court in Syracuse, a court official said. Their ages and addresses were not available.

Their arrest came after a resident near Pulaski told Coast Guard officials in Oswego that two men had landed at a local marina Friday morning in an unmarked, 16-foot, semi-inflatable boat, Customs officials said. No other details about what made the men seem suspicious were released.

The Coast Guard activated the International Border Enforcement team, and border agents, Oswego County Sheriff’s deputies and state Department of Environmental Conservation officers searched the Pulaski area. DEC agents found the men in a Kinney Drugs store attempting to receive a Western Union wire money transfer, Customs officials said.

The suspects were charged with misdemeanor illegal entry, said Agent A.J. Price, speaking for Customs. Price declined to identify the men, but said their criminal records led officials to describe them as suspected smugglers.

Price said he could not disclose where in Canada the men departed from, but said they apparently left that country early Friday morning. They landed in Pulaski about 9:30 a.m., he said.

If convicted, they men face up to six months in jail and possible deportation, Price said.


http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/ ... _with.html

I find it interesting how they always go after the Canadians and not the ones coming across the Mexican border. Even though both are breaking the law.