STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO — Michael White II, 18, of Canton, Ohio, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with a misdemeanor count of assaulting a federal officer. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wei Xiang, who is handling the case, stated that on the morning of March 15, 2018, a charter bus arrived at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. The defendant was one of the occupants on board the bus attempting to make entry into the United States from Canada. During a routine inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers asked the occupants to exit the bus and make their way into the Customs office for inspection or admission into the United States.
After White exited the bus, he walked directly into a CBP officer who had given a lawful command to the defendant to stop. White ignored the command and attempted to walk past the officer. At that point, the officer raised his arm to his side in order to stop the defendant from walking past him. White then pushed the officer’s arm out of the way. The officer attempted to restrain the defendant by grabbing his sweatshirt and pushing White up against the door. The defendant then swung his right arm in an attempt forcibly to strike the officer, his fist, however, missed the officer and White was restrained.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
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.
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