Peter Buckshot, a 28-year-old resident of Massena, New York, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for the crime of alien smuggling. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Robert N. Garcia, Chief Patrol Agent of the United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
According to Buckshot's prior guilty plea, on October 1, 2024, he picked up four individuals from Vietnam who had entered the United States illegally from Canada. Around noon on the same day, New York State Police attempted to pull Buckshot over for speeding in Westville, N.Y. He did not comply and engaged in a high-speed chase with law enforcement. During the pursuit, Buckshot drove at speeds of 80 mph in a 30 mph zone and 100 mph in a 55 mph zone and performed dangerous maneuvers, such as driving over a sidewalk, ignoring a stop sign, and unsafely passing other vehicles. The chase ended when Buckshot crashed into a tree in Fort Covington, N.Y. Although the crash did not result in injuries, the aliens initially escaped on foot but were soon apprehended.
Following his prison term, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes has ordered Buckshot to serve a two-year term of supervised release. Buckshot has been in custody since his arrest on the day of the incident.
The case involved a collaborative investigation by the United States Border Patrol and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
