A 38-year-old woman from the United Kingdom is facing serious charges after attempting to re-enter the United States in a Buffalo, NY, Port of Entry.
Ebony Danielle Phillips, 38, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry after deportation following conviction of an aggravated felony. This offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On July 3, 2019, at approximately 3:20 p.m., the defendant attempted to enter the United States at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, Phillips was driving a vehicle bearing an Ontario registration but she presented a State of North Carolina driver’s license, and stated that she was a citizen of the United States.
A subsequent records check determined that her birth place was the United Kingdom. When asked if she had ever been arrested, Phillips replied “no.” However, a fingerprint check revealed that she was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Healthcare Fraud in the State of North Carolina in March 2017 and sentenced to nine months in prison.
Upon her release from Bureau of Prisons custody, the defendant was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in January 2018, deported in August 2018, and permanently barred from re-entering the United States.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and was detained.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Contact: U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of New York can be reached at (716) 843-5817 or by email at barbara.burns@usdoj.gov.
RELATED: Ancelma Contreras Pano Guilty
RELATED: Chinese Woman Qingqin Xie Charged with Prostitution Ring Operation
Related Federal Cases
- Buffalo Man Enters Guilty Plea for Methamphetamine and Gun Charges · North Carolina
- Wall Street Bailout: NY & CA Lose $2 Trillion · North Carolina
- New Year’s Eve Plot Foiled: ISIS Supporter Charged · North Carolina
- James Halts AmeriCorps Funding Dismantling · Washington
- NY AGs Crack Down on 37 Robocall Gatekeepers · Indiana
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News