BUFFALO — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Raminderjit Assi, 28, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to importation of marijuana into the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that after researching methods of smuggling marijuana into the United States, including by helicopter, Assi and a co-conspirator obtained a helicopter and helicopter pilot licenses. On April 9, 2019, Assi and a co-conspirator flew a helicopter from Canada into United States airspace, specifically, Beaver Island Park on Grand Island, NY, where they left four red duffle bags. Before the bags could be collected by another co-conspirator, U.S. Border Patrol located the bags. The bags contained a total of 49 kilograms of marijuana. Radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration, CBP Air and Marine Operations, and NavCanada, determined that Assi and his co-conspirator turned off the transponder on the helicopter, failed to check-in with required towers, and failed to submit a required flight plan. Surveillance footage from the helipad in Canada where the two took off revealed that they prepared and operated the helicopter at take-off and returned in the helicopter after the illegal incursion. Assi later admitted he had flown the helicopter.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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