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By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
An illegal immigrant was carrying a fully loaded firearm, a gun suppressor, extra ammunition and handcuff keys when he unlawfully entered the United States by driving a motorcycle around the international barriers outside the Haskell Library in Derby Line, federal authorities in Vermont said.
Julio Cesar Romero-Paredes, 46, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Burlington last week to unlawfully possessing a loaded .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol while being an illegal alien in the United States.
He also denied a second felony charge of being in the United States while an Immigration removal order was still outstanding.
During a search of the motorcycle and the bags affixed to it, investigators found a .22 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a fully loaded magazine, court records show, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reported.
Five additional .22-caliber magazines with about 50 bullets, two Glock 9-mm magazines loaded with 30 rounds, and a suspected suppressor that could be threaded onto the barrel of the .22-caliber were found, the ATF said.
Agents also found multiple knives, a collapsible steel baton, several handcuff keys, zip ties and three cell phones, according to Border Patrol Agent James Loomis, who is assigned to the statewide ATF Task Force in Vermont.
Loomis said Romero-Paredes is believed to have entered the United States initially in 2005 on a visitor’s visa and never left when it expired.
Loomis said an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, issued a removal order for Romero-Paredes in March 2022, but it appears it was never properly executed. There does appear to be a video of Romero-Paredes passing from the U.S. into Canada by using his motorcycle to bypass the barriers outside the Haskell Library at the International border on Aug. 7.
Officials said There was no lawful reason for Romero-Paredes to be in the United States this month.
Loomis said the latest case unfolded this way:
Romero-Paredes entered the United States on a distinctive motorcycle that bypassed the international barriers outside the historic Haskell Library at about 12:50 a.m. on Nov. 7.
The Border Patrol, which was involved in another illicit border crossing case nearby at the time, asked field officers from Customs and Border Protection to monitor the situation.
The motorcycle entered Interstate 91 from Caswell Avenue in Derby Line, about a half mile from the library. Customs and Border Protection stopped the vehicle about five miles south at exit 28 in Derby.
The motorcycle, with a State of Georgia registration plate, was pulled over, and Romero-Paredes was identified as the driver.
Romero-Paredes claimed he was from Venezuela and maintained he was pending asylum, court records note.
Officials said that Romero-Paredes and his belongings were taken to the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Newport, where he was turned over to the Border Patrol for processing and further investigation.
Records show that the asylum claim proved to be false.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Cate, in seeking the defendant’s detention, said Romero-Paredes’ initial illegal presence in the country and his recent illegal re-entry show no interest in following lawful court orders.
Cate also argued the weapons, ammo, baton, and handcuffs also raised questions about whether he was suitable to be released. “There is no lawful and non-dangerous explanation for the defendant’s possession for these items…” she wrote in her detention request.
The government requested a search warrant last week for the 3 cell phones, which investigators seized from Romero-Paredes on Nov. 7. Cate has asked that the affidavit for the warrant be sealed until it can be executed.
It was unclear why a sealing order was needed when the three phones were in the custody of the Border Patrol in Newport.
Cate had yet to file a motion on Friday to unseal the document.
If convicted, Romero-Paredes faces up to 15 years in prison on the firearm charge and up to 2 years on the illegal immigration charge.
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It’s time for Scott and Rodgers to invite Trump and team (including Homan, Noem and Burgum) to Vermont. We must close our Vermont northern border! Pull up your big boy pants, put your hatred aside, and get with protecting Vermont and the entire USA!
Phil Scott made us a sanctuary state years ago.
He went on to sell us out to the bottom crying family and to denounce Trump the best President in recent history
I am disappointed in John Rodgers..
He says he can’t support Trump because he did not pay some subs on job sites..
However Scott and John both support Harris who has allowed 30 million illegals to went to America raping and murdering our young ladies
Over 350000 children have gone missing under Harris and it is being reported that they have been sold into the child sex trade and are being mutilated and sold for body parts…
They bolt support the corruption of the Biden crime family…
The republican party no longer exists in the state of Vermont…
Do you really think the Ultimate RINO and make-believe Republican King Philip the Scott 1st Eunuch King of Castrati will admit he’s wrong and make amends with Trump? You can’t pull up your Big Boy Pants if you’ve never owned a pair.
This is why Biden/Harris et all were soundly defeated in November. Actually one of MANY reasons.
I guess Julio Cesar Romero-Paredes,, not being a US citizen, didn’t know he broke our firearm laws, the only ones following these feckless laws are law-abiding US citizens, as being Illegal, criminal laws don’t matter as this shows, they don’t care, so lock your doors and protect yourself, yes with a firearm, as you see these illegals like this criminal are well armed !!
As stated above, we need to have Tom Homan make a visit to the state and see the issues on our border and its ” Open Door .” welcome mat, but this probably won’t ever happen, as Vermont’s ” Governor ” hates everything Trump and Homan supports the Trump policies, but Scott will hold his hand out for Federal dollars, how pathetic.
Gee all that gun control works well. How many got thru without being caught? Maybe he should be pardoned just like Hunter.
Do you think Scott will be surprised when he holds his hand out to Trump for federal dollars and gets none. He will be whining like a baby,
Julio Cesar Romero-Paredes. Is he related to the Joker?
It is time to revisit in the courts the concept that someone in the country illegally is entitled to full Constitutional protections. No bail laws should apply to anyone who is not here legitimately.
Agreed!
Nov. 7th he entered, today is Dec. 3rd and we are just now hearing about this?
Holy Toledo. Right near my elderly in-laws.
Trudeau better get on the ball. Just 48 days and then Canada will be paying 25% tariff on anything going to the U.S. I hope for the sake of all the innocent Canadians Trudeau doesn’t think Trump is serious.
“Cate also argued the weapons, ammo, baton, and handcuffs also raised questions about whether he was suitable to be released.”
Well, um, of course he isn’t suitable for release. I’m sure he brought it all with him on his illegal entry for noble causes right?
Nope! We don’t have a border problem!
If an American citizen was caught with a silencer without having the tax stamp in his possession, he/she would be in big, big trouble by the ATF and the feds and would get mandatory time in Club Fed. From everything I’ve read as far as sentences imposed on those convicted, the feds play by a completely different set of rules in the district of Vermont when it comes to ATF and firearm violations, particularly Class 3 type.
Will be have to see more Laken Riley type heinous crimes here before Phil Scott steps up with bold, tough, common sense leadership? He’s already woke up, but he needs to wake up and put some feet to and some teeth into his rhetoric about public safety.
I’m sure this fine gentleman was simply carrying props for a movie his friends in Hollywood plan to shoot… er… make… That’s it, make. That was quite the list of stuff, no? He must have ditched the partridge in the pear tree before he got nabbed.
I haven’t heard – Does Governor Scott plan on cooperating to the fullest with Tom Homan and ICE? Can anyone enlighten me?
Vermont Woke Libs call them ‘undocumented immigrants’. Which means that a drug dealer can also be called an ‘undocumented pharmacist’ in the world they live in. Legal immigrants take a pledge to America. Send in Homan and DOGE…watch these illegals stampeding for their lives… get these illegal squatters out of Vermont and our country. Can’t wait for January…
Well, Castrudeau says he’s going to work on the problem on the Canadian end, so I feel so much better now. We have nothing to be concerned about.
Sorry, I just vomited in my mouth.
Julio Cesar Romero-Paredes. Try fitting that name on a job application form or on an income tax return, a problem this guy or most illegal cronies will never face.