U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that Silvestre German Andujar, a 53-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Hamilton, Ontario, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for alien smuggling. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maeve E. Huggins and Paul E. Bonanno detailed the events leading to Andujar's conviction. On January 3, 2024, Andujar and three other individuals, none of whom were U.S. citizens or nationals, traveled on a motorized raft from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada across the Niagara River into the United States. Andujar piloted the vessel over the border.
Upon arrival in the U.S., they were spotted by U.S. Border Patrol Agents and fled from the scene. Meanwhile, co-defendant Luis Davis German Soriano was observed driving near their landing spot in Youngstown, NY. Soriano had traveled from New Jersey to pick up Andujar and his companions.
Soriano was initially stopped by officers but released after providing conflicting information about his travel purpose. He later returned to pick up Andujar and others in a van.
On January 4, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol Agents stopped Soriano's van on Youngstown-Lockport Road in Ransomville, NY with all four occupants inside arrested following immigration checks.
Luis Davis German Soriano had already been convicted and sentenced prior to this announcement.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations led by Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; U.S. Border Patrol under Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs; and Lewiston Police Department directed by Chief Frank Previte.
