Three California Residents Plead Guilty To Failing To Assist Customs Officers At Local Border Crossings

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Ahmad Sami, 46, Ceasar Sami, 21, and Rania Alkanj, 33, all of Corona, California, pleaded guilty to failing to assist customs officers. The charges carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the cases, stated that in 2018, the defendants drove or attempted to drive multiple luxury vehicles into the United States without declaring to customs officers that the vehicles were intended to be sold within the United States.

On June 3, 2018, Ahmad Sami and Ceasar Sami drove a Range Rover into the United States through the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. On June 27, 2018, at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry, Ahmad Sami entered the United States in a black GMC Sierra, and Alkanj entered in a Ford F-150. On two other occasions in June 2018, Ahmad Sami and Alkanj traveled across the Rainbow Bridge together in a Jeep Wrangler and a white GMC Sierra. In July 2018, the defendants attempted to transport three additional vehicles into the United States, but each vehicle was denied entry. On July 16, 2018, at the Blue Water Bridge Port of Entry in Port Huron, Michigan, Ahmad Sami attempted to cross the border in a Toyota Camry and Alkanj attempted to cross in a Toyota RAV4, but customs officers turned away each of these vehicles. Less than a week later, Ceasar Sami tried to drive a Chevy Colorado into the United States at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry, but this vehicle was also denied entry.

The defendants failed to declare to customs officers that the vehicles were intended to be sold within the United States, resulting in each defendant owing duty and related fees to the United States Government. Ahmad Sami owed $20,681.09; Alkanj owed $15,735.99; and Ceasar Sami owed $965.71. 

The pleas are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

Ahmad Sami and Ceasar Sami are scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy on August 19, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. and September 24, 2021, at 4:00 p.m., respectively. Alkanj is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. on August 24, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.

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