Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that on June 13, 2025, Joshua Ian Fudge, a Canadian citizen, and his wife Karen Melissa Rodriguez Valverde, a Costa Rican citizen, pled guilty to charges of illegally entering the United States. They were sentenced to time served and each faced a maximum prison term of six months.
Court records indicate that at approximately 2:55 p.m. on June 12, 2025, electronic surveillance detected two individuals with backpacks on "Pee Wee’s" bridge in Canaan, Vermont. This bridge is located about 150 feet from the U.S./Canada border and is often used for illegal crossings into the United States. U.S. Border Patrol agents approached the individuals shortly after receiving the surveillance alert. Fudge and Rodriguez Valverde provided identification confirming their nationalities and residency status.
A review of immigration records revealed that Fudge had been deemed inadmissible to the United States at Newark International Airport on November 4, 2024. He had admitted during pre-entry questioning that he previously traveled to New Jersey to work with Rodriguez Valverde’s father without possessing an immigrant visa permitting employment in the country.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the efforts of the United States Border Patrol and United States Customs and Border Protection.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner. Fudge was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq., while Rodriguez Valverde was represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and protecting communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts by various Department of Justice resources.
