Peter Buckshot, a 28-year-old Massena resident, has been handed a two-year prison sentence for alien smuggling, a statement from United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III confirmed. Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, from the United States Border Patrol's Swanton Sector, publicly backed this announcement.
During his guilty plea, Buckshot admitted to picking up four Vietnamese nationals following their illegal border crossing into the United States from Canada on October 1, 2024. In a rather desperate bid to evade the law, Buckshot led the New York State Police on a reckless high-speed chase, accelerating to speeds of 80 mph in zones marked for 30 mph and hitting 100 mph in areas designated for 55 mph. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York, his attempts to both literally and figuratively drive around justice included maneuvering over a sidewalk and disregarding a stop sign.
The chase, which featured high-risk moves like driving on road shoulders and unsafe vehicle passes, abruptly ended when Buckshot's vehicle collided with a tree in Fort Covington, N.Y. Fortunately, the crash resulted in no injuries, but the aliens managed to flee on foot before being promptly apprehended. For these actions, in addition to his prison time, he's also been sentenced to a 2-year term of supervised release once he's free from federal confinement.
Buckshot, who has remained in custody since the date of his arrest, faced a thorough investigation that brought together the efforts of the United States Border Patrol and the New York State Police. The case saw its prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes presided over the sentencing, aiming to likely deter future like-minded offenders from the hazardous act of smuggling people across national frontiers.
