Constantin Chiriac, age 42, and a citizen of Moldova, was sentenced Sept. 27 to time served (128 days in jail) for transporting an alien within the United States. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.

Chiriac pled guilty on July 17, 2017. He admitted that on May 23, 2017, while on the Akwesasne reservation near Hogansburg, New York, he picked up a Hungarian citizen who had just crossed the border illegally from Canada. Chiriac was driving the Hungarian citizen away from the border area when Border Patrol Agents stopped him. Chiriac admitted that he intended to transport the Hungarian citizen away from the border area and to Brooklyn, New York. At the time of his crime, Chiriac was in the United States on a visitor (tourist) visa. Co-defendant Kanento Boots was convicted of the same charge and sentenced to time served (111 days in jail) on September 11, 2017, according to the Department of Justice.

The smuggled Hungarian citizen, Zsolt Mihaly, pled guilty on June 6 to illegal entry into the United States, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 36 days in jail.

Following his sentence, Chiriac was remanded to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, for removal proceedings.

This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.