Spanish Citizen Arrested After Illegal Entry

           The U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested a Spanish citizen who crossed the Vermont-Canadian border near Canaan on Monday evening, March 21, 2016. 

            A Criminal Complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Burlington alleges that, at approximately 6:30 PM on March 21, 2016, a concerned citizen reported a man hiding in the woods near her home to a U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to the Beecher Falls station.  Agents responded to the area and encountered Cristian Aquino-Montillo.  Aquino-Montillo, 21, claimed to be a citizen of Spain and could not produce any documentation allowing to enter or be present in the United States.  Agents arrested Aquino-Montillo and transported him to the Beecher Falls station for further investigation.

            Record checks confirmed that Aquino-Montillo is a citizen of Spain.  The checks also revealed that he is a permanent resident of the Dominican Republic.  He was removed to the Dominican Republic on July 15, 2014, because he remained in the United States after his tourist visa expired. 

            The Criminal Complaint charged Aquino-Montillo with re-entry after removal.  If convicted, he faces a maximum of 2 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Aquino-Montillo also faces removal from the United States and a bar to re-entry.

            Aquino-Montillo had a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy on March 22. 

            The United States Attorney emphasizes that these charges are merely accusations, and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.

            “We rely upon local residents to report suspicious activity near the border,” said Patrol Agent in Charge Paul Kuhn. “This information prevented a felon from entering the United States.”

The Swanton Sector is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont, New Hampshire and northeastern New York. The assistance of citizens is invaluable to their border security mission and they welcome community members to help them keep our nation’s borders safe and report suspicious activity at 1-800-689-3362.

            For more on Customs and Border Protection’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.

            United States Attorney Eric S. Miller commended the investigative efforts of the United States Border Patrol.

            The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Ophardt.