An illegal immigrant, who has 25 foreign criminal convictions, including 8 for assaults or attacks on police, will be deported again after admitting he has unlawfully entered the United States three times and was caught in Derby Line last month, officials said.

The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Benjamin Paul Sheldon Schooner, 35, of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada near the Haskell Library and Opera House in Derby Line on Christmas Day about 12:20 a.m., records show.

Schooner, who tried twice earlier to seek asylum, was deported both times due to rejected claims that his life was in jeopardy from a Canadian street gang, federal court records show.  

He has a lengthy criminal history with prison sentences that include attempted robbery (2011), escape (2012), drug possession for trafficking (2014 and 2021), uttering threats (2020 and 2025), burglary (2022) possession of a weapon (2025) and failure to comply with probation (2013 and 2025), court records show.

Schooner has convictions for assaults on peace officers in 2011, 2015 and 2020, obstruction of a peace officer in 2019 and flight while pursued by a peace officer in 2020, his plea agreement notes.  He also has four other unspecified assaults that also all netted him prison time in 2014, records show. 

President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have said the United States is trying to reject undesirables from entering the country, while also trying to deport “the worst of the worst” that are here illegally.

Under the plea agreement reached in Burlington last week, Schooner admitted he had illegally entered the country at Derby Line on Christmas Day.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt, chief of the criminal division, had agreed to a plea agreement that set the maximum penalty at up to 30 days in custody.    

Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle agreed to impose a “time served” sentence to help move along the deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  It is unclear how long that process will take.  Schooner will remain in federal custody during that time.

During a March 2022 illegal entry at Sault Saint Marie, Mich., Schooner told officers he was fleeing for his life from members of the Individual Soldiers gang in Canada and they wanted to kill him, court records show.

His claim was rejected, and Schooner was sent back to Canada, the Border Patrol reported.  

Schooner tried again at Port of Entry at Batavia, N.Y. on Nov. 13, 2024, and he claimed fear, but it was rejected again, records show.  There was a reinstated Order of Removal issued, records show.

In the Orleans County case last month, Schooner told the U.S. Border Patrol that he was in fear for his life because there were drones trying to kill him, court records said.

The Border Patrol said it could not find any drones flying in the area that night. 

Schooner’s criminal record began when he was 13 years-old, court records show. It has continued through 2025 with four convictions that year, records note.

U.S. Border Patrol records indicate that Schooner was born in Vancouver, B.C. in 1990 and was considered a Canadian citizen.  However, there are also reports that indicate he is considered an alien from Guatemala and Spain.