A French citizen who bicycled across the border into Maine was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Bangor to time served or 113 days in jail, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Philippe Maurice, 50, was discovered about 4 p.m. May 17 riding his bicycle on Fish Lake Road, a dirt logging road, in Portage, court documents said.
Maurice crossed the border on his bicycle at the Saint-Pamphile port of entry, located in northwestern Aroostook County, after it closed for the night, court documents said.
The driving distance between Saint-Pamphile, Quebec, Canada, and Portage is about 85 miles, according to Google Maps.
Maurice was removed from the U.S. in 2015 after overstaying by years a 90-day visitor’s visa from France and banned from re-entering the U.S. for 10 years, according to court documents.
He pleaded guilty in June to re-entry after deportation.
Maurice was expected to be turned over to immigration officials for deportation later this month.
Maurice is married to an American citizen who lives in Georgia, his attorney, Jon Haddow of Bangor, said after the sentencing.
According to court documents, Maurice arrived in Canada from France in February and, with a friend, began conducting surveillance of the ports of entry along the border. Maurice told U.S. Border Patrol agents that he “scouted roads that lead to barriers/gates along the border” before deciding to cross at Saint-Pamphile.
