Four Could Face Charges After Belize Women Cross U.S.-Canada Border

Four people could face charges in federal court in North Dakota after two women from Belize crossed the U.S.-Canada border illegally and were picked up by two Louisiana men on a highway, according to court documents in the case. All four made their initial court appearances on Wednesday in Fargo, and no one has been officially charged yet.

Key facts

• The incident happened near the U.S.-Canada border in North Dakota, six miles west of the Neche Port of Entry
• Border patrol agents responded to a sensor activation at around 11:12pm on Saturday night
• The two women are from Belize and entered Canada on visitor visas after flying in from Mexico
• The two men could face charges for bringing an alien into the United States
• The women have open cases in federal court

What happened at the border?

The Grand Forks Sector Radio Dispatch responded to a sensor activation near the border at around 11:12pm on Saturday after a person was seen walking with a backpack. Pembina border patrol agents went to the area, six miles west of the Neche Port of Entry.

An agent then spotted a blue SUV heading south onto Highway 18 and carried out a traffic stop. Eric Lester was apparently driving, Christopher Marchetta was in the passenger seat, and the two women, Rubiceli and Camille Aldana, were in the back.

Who are the people involved?

Court documents say Lester did not provide any identification, while Marchetta showed a Louisiana licence and the women presented Belize driver's licences. Lester told officers they were lost and were trying to return to their hotel in Grand Forks. The women later admitted, after further questioning, that they had crossed the border illegally when the sensor was activated.

The men are accused of getting the women to cross into the United States illegally, and could face charges for bringing an alien into the United States. The women currently have open cases in federal court.

How did the women reach the border?

The women say they flew from Mexico to Toronto and were admitted with visitor visas, then flew to Winnipeg to visit a friend. They took a taxi to the border and walked from there.

According to court documents, they did not navigate their way to the border and at first did not realise they had actually crossed it. They eventually came across the SUV and got in, but apparently no words were said and no money was given.

In a sworn statement, Camille Aldana said she did not plan to enter the United States and that they had a return flight scheduled out of Canada to Belize. The Aldanas had nearly $1,000 USD combined, while Marchetta had over $3,000.

What this means for travellers

The case shows that entering the United States outside an official crossing can lead to federal court proceedings, even when travellers say they did not intend to cross. Drivers carrying people who entered the country illegally can also face charges.

Anyone moving near the U.S.-Canada border should note that the area is monitored by sensors and border patrol agents, and that the border is not always obvious on the ground.

The four have made their initial court appearances in Fargo, and no charges have been officially filed at the time of the report.