November 4, 2009

ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED FOR FALSE STATEMENTS

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Phito Gondre, 39, a resident of Clichy Sous Bois, France, was sentenced on November 2, 2009 before United States District Court Chief Judge William K. Sessions III. Gondre was sentenced to time served, amounting to six months incarceration, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He had pleaded guilty on July 15, 2009 to knowingly and willfully making a materially false statement.

Court documents show that Gondre was arrested at the Highgate Springs Port of Entry on April 28, 2009. On his arrival at the port, Gondre claimed that he spoke only French, that he had never been in the United States, and that his name was Marcelin St. Pierre. After his fingerprints were checked, Customs and Border Protection agents learned that his real name was Phito Gondre, that he had lived in the United States for many years, that he spoke English fluently, and that he had been deported from the United States after criminal convictions in Massachusetts. Gondre was indicted on charges of making false statements and attempting to enter the United States after being deported. His guilty plea to the charge of making the materially false statement followed.

The case was investigated by Border Patrol agents of the United States Customs and Border Protection. Gondre is represented by Michael L. Desautels of the Federal Public Defender’s Office. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Gelber.