U.S. Border Patrol Weekly Blotter

Blaine, Wash. – The information listed below is from arrests and seizures related to U.S. Border Patrol in the Blaine Sector area of operations. For security reasons, this may not be a complete list of enforcement actions.

10/13/2011- Agents responded to an area east of Sumas following a citizen’s report of suspicious backpackers. Agents encountered three subjects, two Canadian citizens and one United States Citizen, who all admitted to illegally crossing into the United States from Canada the night before. The subjects claimed to have camped in the hills on the United States side of the border the night previously. The Canadian citizens were processed for removal, and the United States Citizen was released after his identity was verified.

10/13/2011- Agents apprehended a group of five citizens of India who entered into the United States illegally near the Markworth Road in Lynden, WA. All five subjects were processed for removal.

10/14/2011- Agents assisting the Swinomish Police Department near La Conner, WA. encountered two Mexican citizens. One subject possessed fraudulent identification documents and the other had a criminal history including child cruelty and two arrests for DUI. Both subjects admitted to being illegally present in the United States. The two subjects were processed for removal.

10/15/2011- Agents responded to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s office request for assistance near Everson, WA. Agents apprehended a Mexican Citizen who admitted to being illegally present in the United States. The subject had a previous arrest for DUI. Subject was processed for removal.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Swinomish Tribal Member Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Assault

HAROLD JON WILLIAMS, 36, an enrolled member of the Swinomish Tribe, was sentenced January 21, 2011, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones.

According to the plea agreement, WILLIAMS admits that in April 2010, following a party at a home on the Swinomish Indian Reservation, WILLIAMS assaulted a woman who had also been attending the party. WILLIAMS had been drinking beginning April 10 and overnight into April 11. The victim had gone to a bedroom in the home to sleep, when she was awakened by WILLIAMS grabbing her hair and arm and pushed her into the bed. The victim was able to fight WILLIAMS off, but suffered both physical and emotional injuries.

WILLIAMS pleaded guilty September 30, 2010.

The case was investigated by the Swinomish Tribal Police and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Roe. Ms. Roe serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.