Two Louisiana Men Allegedly Smuggle Two Women From Belize Into The U.S. At The Canadian Border, All Four Could Be Charged

(KNOX) –Four people could be charged in North Dakota federal court in a case where two Louisiana men allegedly smuggled two women from Belize into the U.S. at the Canadian border

Eric Lester and Christopher Marchetta are accused of getting Rubiceli and Camille Aldana to cross into the U.S. illegally.

The men could face charges for bringing an alien into the United States, as these women currently have open cases in federal court. No one has been officially charged yet and all four of them made their initial court appearances Wednesday in Fargo.

The Grand Forks Sector Radio Dispatch responded to a sensor activation near the United States/Canada border last Saturday at around 11:12pm. A person was seen walking with a backpack and Pembina border patrol agents responded six miles west of the Neche Port of Entry.

An agent saw a blue SUV going south onto Highway 18 and conducted a traffic stop.

Lester was apparently driving the SUV, with Marchetta in the passenger seat and the women in the back. Court documents say that Lester did not provide any identification, but Marchetta showed a Louisiana license and the two women presented their Belize driver’s licenses.

Lester apparently told officers they were lost and were trying to return to their hotel in Grand Forks. The women eventually admitted to crossing the border illegally when the sensor was activated. They admitted after further questioning.

Camille Aldana gave a sworn statement explaining that she did not plan to enter the U.S., and that they were planning to go on a return flight to Belize from Canada. had a return flight scheduled out of Canada to Belize, according to court documents.

The women say they flew to Toronto from Mexico and were admitted with visitor visas. They then flew to Winnipeg to visit a friend.

The women took a taxi cab to the border and then walked. Court documents say that they didn’t navigate their way to the border and didn’t realize at first they actually crossed it. The women eventually came across the SUV and got in, but there were apparently no words said or money given.

The Aldana’s apparently had nearly $1,000 USD combined, and Marchetta had over $3,000.