Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that on June 13, 2025, Joshua Ian Fudge, a 30-year-old citizen of Canada, and his wife Karen Melissa Rodriguez Valverde, 24, from Costa Rica, both entered guilty pleas to criminal complaints charging them with illegal entry into the United States. The couple was sentenced to time-served after facing a maximum prison term of 6 months.
According to court records, on June 12, 2025, electronic surveillance at “Pee Wee’s” bridge in Canaan, Vermont, approximately 150 feet from the U.S./Canada border, spotted two individuals carrying backpacks. Less than five minutes after the alert, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended Fudge and Rodriguez Valverde. The couple provided identification confirming their citizenships. A review of immigration records revealed that on November 4, 2024, Fudge was deemed inadmissible after admitting to working in New Jersey for Rodriguez Valverde’s father without proper authorization.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner prosecuted the case, with Fudge represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq., and Rodriguez Valverde by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels.
This incident is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. The operation leverages resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The couple’s illegal entry highlights the ongoing efforts to secure America’s borders and enforce immigration laws. Their swift apprehension underscores the effectiveness of border security measures in recent years.
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Key Facts
- State: Vermont
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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