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US-based Guyanese pleads guilty to cash smuggling
A well-known New York-based Guyanese, arrested by US authorities back in February last year for attempting to smuggle a large quantity of cash, has pleaded guilty.
Guilty: Vilton Bourne
Vilton Bourne, 31, is now set appear in a New York court on November 17 to be sentenced.
On August 18, he pleaded guilty before Judge Nicholas Garaufis on one count of smuggling cash.
Bourne was arrested and charged in February 2014 with knowingly and with intent to evade the currency reporting requirements of the US.
According to court documents filed recently, US prosecutors have applied for the forfeiture of the cash- US$35,577- that he was found with. He was allowed his pre-trial liberty last year after posting a US$50,000 bail.
According to prosecutors last year, Bourne was detained by US border authorities after he failed to declare more than US$26,000 in cash that he was carrying. He was set to travel to Guyana on a Caribbean Airlines flight to Guyana.
Personnel from the Customs and Border Protection at the JFK International Airport selected him for an “outboard enforcement” examination.
When asked, he declared US$9,000 and signed a form. However, he reportedly presented US$10,000 to the officers, the complaint said. He was asked if he had other cash and Bourne replied in the negative.
According to the complaint, the security officials took his two pieces of luggage and searched them. There was US$10,000 in each.
In the defendant’s wallet, the officials discovered that Bourne had US$5,577. In total, Bourne had US$35,577.
In applications filed this month, the US authorities said that Bourne has consented to the forfeiture of the monies. Forfeiture will become final to the defendant at the time of his sentencing and be made part of the defendant’s sentence and included in his judgment of conviction.
Prosecutors made it clear that the forfeiture of the seized currency shall not be considered a payment of a fine, penalty, restitution loss amount, or any income taxes that may be due, and shall survive bankruptcy.
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