A citizen of the United Kingdom, Mohammed Sultan Saleh, 21, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine, to charges of entering the United States without inspection and lying to federal investigators. The plea follows his apprehension after crossing the border from Quebec into Somerset County, Maine, in April.
According to court records, Saleh and three other men walked through heavily wooded areas from Quebec into Somerset County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their entry point was near the Saint Zacharie, Maine, port of entry. Passersby reported seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road, leading to their apprehension by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) agents.
During subsequent questioning by FBI and USBP agents, Saleh falsely claimed that he and his companions had accidentally crossed into the U.S. while hiking in Canada. For the false statement charge, Saleh faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The illegal entry charge carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Sentencing will occur after a presentence investigation report is prepared.
This case was investigated by USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI, and is part of "Operation Take Back America," a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.