Rostislav Skalka, 48, of the Czech Republic, and Robert Bella, 45, of Slovakia, were found guilty yesterday of illegally entering the United States from Canada, crossing the frigid St. Lawrence River on a crude, hand-built raft in a desperate bid to slip past federal authorities. The one-day, non-jury trial in Syracuse, New York, ended in swift conviction on a single count of illegal entry—exposing a dangerous and growing trend of foreign nationals bypassing official ports of entry along remote northern borders.
U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and John C. Pfeifer, Chief Patrol Agent of the Swanton Sector, United States Border Patrol, confirmed the verdict. According to trial evidence, Skalka and Bella launched their raft from Canadian soil near Waddington, New York, navigating the swift, ice-choked waters under cover of darkness. No attempt was made to present themselves for immigration inspection—a federal misdemeanor that carries stiff consequences when caught.
The crossing, a perilous 500-yard stretch under surveillance-heavy skies, failed. Border Patrol agents intercepted the pair just minutes after they dragged their waterlogged raft ashore. Both men were apprehended without resistance. Investigators recovered remnants of the raft—constructed from plastic barrels, plywood, and duct tape—evidence of a crude but deliberate operation to breach U.S. sovereignty.
Following the conviction, United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles imposed a sentence of time served—three months in federal custody. The punishment, while seemingly light, reflects the misdemeanor classification of illegal entry for first-time offenders. But the real reckoning looms: both Skalka and Bella are now slated for deportation after additional immigration proceedings.
The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, which has intensified patrols along the northern frontier amid rising concerns over non-traditional entry methods. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sahar L. Amandolare, who argued the facts were unambiguous: unauthorized entry is a crime, regardless of method or motive.
This conviction underscores the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal border crossings—even in the frozen reaches of upstate New York. Skalka and Bella may have escaped the river’s currents, but they couldn’t outrun the law.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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