Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United States

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 20, 2025, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty to a criminal complaint charging them with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities. A third individual, Sajah Konateh, 51, a citizen of The Gambia, also made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday, and he is facing charges of illegal entry into the United States.

According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, later identified as Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had no current legal status in the United States.

Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had their initial court appearances before United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford on May 20, 2025, where they pleaded guilty, and both received time-served sentences. Konateh entered a not guilty plea, he faces up to 6 months’ imprisonment.

Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Ikiela Lecka is represented by Mark Oettinger, Esq., Sakiner is represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq., and Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).