Man gets prison for smuggling people into the U.S. through NH

Paul Feely, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·3 min read

Apr. 16—A 27-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in connection with smuggling unauthorized immigrants across the Canadian border into New Hampshire, federal prosecutors said.

Abraham Hernandez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 6 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and 2 months of home confinement. On Jan. 17, 2024, Hernandez pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing in or harboring certain aliens.

"The defendant deliberately evaded United States immigration laws by smuggling unauthorized immigrants into this country as cargo," U.S. Attorney Jane Young said in a statement. "Illegally crossing the northern border through the Great North Woods is dangerous and risks human lives."

"Effective enforcement hinges on real penalties for criminal actions," Border Patrol Swanton Sector Chief Robert N. Garcia said in a statement. "Border Patrol continues to enforce the laws of the United States and this prosecution by U.S. Attorney Young and decision by U.S. Court Judge Elliot demonstrates that those attempting to break those laws will be held accountable."

According to the charging documents, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police informed the U.S. Border Patrol on June 13 at about 10 a.m. that 10 people with backpacks were walking southbound from Canada toward Halls Stream Road in Pittsburg. It seemed likely that they were about to cross through the woods. Halls Stream Road runs north-south and parallels the border for roughly 9 miles.

A concerned resident who lives on Halls Stream Road contacted the border patrol and said that a white SUV that had parked in his driveway fled at high speed when he turned on his porch lights. It was unusual for a non-resident to travel to this sparsely populated area, especially at night, according to the U.S. Border Patrol agent who stopped the car. Another Border Patrol agent had spotted a white SUV driving northward on Halls Stream Road at roughly 9:30 pm.

The small SUV appeared to be listing to one side, overloaded by passenger weight, and was stopped near the intersection of U.S Route 3 and Bishop Brook Road. The Border Patrol agent found people in the trunk and backseat who appeared to be hiding their heads. Hernandez said he'd picked them up on the side of the road. When questioned, eight of the occupants in the back said they were from Mexico. One was from Guatemala. None had immigration documents that would allow them to be in or stay in the U.S. legally.

Hernandez and his passengers were arrested and transported to the Beecher Falls Border Patrol for processing and investigation.

When questioned, one passenger from Veracruz, Mexico, said he entered Canada on June 11, met a person who would help him cross the border, and was to pay $5,000 after arriving in the U.S. He said two men transported the group to the border and told them how to go. In Pittsburg, the driver of the SUV was waiting with his vehicle and told them to get in and hide.

A second passenger from Veracruz said he entered Canada in February and met a smuggler through a Facebook group, Mexicanos en Toronto. He said he planned to return to Mexico, was en route to a hotel, and was going to pay 3,000 Canadian dollars after crossing to the U.S.

A third said he'd arrived in Toronto eight days earlier and found arrangements to cross the border through a WhatsApp group. He was to pay $5,000 at a later time.

The three men agreed to answer questions without a lawyer present, and identified being in a vehicle with the rear seats folded down, according to the court documents.