Queens Man Pleads Guilty To Assaulting A Border Officer After Being Caught With Marijuana At The Peace Bridge

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Adriano Roberto Nunez, 27, of Queens, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal officer and causing bodily injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who is handling the case, stated that on June 3, 2019, the defendant was a passenger on a bus traveling from Canada into the United States at the Peace Bridge Pot of Entry. Nunez and other passengers exited the bus at a Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint in the United States for re-entry into the United States.

During a search of the defendant’s belongings, a CBP officer found gummy candies in a bag consistent with drug packaging. While a CBP officer performed a field test on the gummies, another CBP officer asked Nunez to place his phone and passport on the table. The defendant retrieved his passport and placed it on the table. Nunez also retrieved his phone but did not place it on the table, instead manipulated the phone with his hands. The CBP officer attempted to retrieve the phone from the defendant, and Nunez resisted. After the officer successfully gained possession of the phone, the defendant fled into another area of the building, with officers chasing after him. Nunez fled to an area with no exit, and officers caught up with him. The defendant resisted the officers by pushing and kicking at least one officer. The officer sustained bodily injury in the form of scratches and abrasions on his knee and elbow, as well as pain from being kicked.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 31, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.  

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