A US-based Guyanese who was caught at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York with birds he smuggled from Guyana back in August was on Tuesday charged and admitted to the offence.
According to a New York Post article, Joel Persaud appeared in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York where the guilty plea proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Vera M Scanlon.
He was charged with illegally bringing birds from Guyana into the United States, in his suitcase, into JFK airport on August 31, 2021.
During the proceedings, Persaud’s lawyer said his client can’t read. In response, Judge Scanlon asked, “can’t read English or can’t read at all?” The lawyer responded, “can’t read at all”.
According to the article, changes were made to documents that said they had been read.
It is still unclear whether Persaud will be subject to deportation for this misdemeanour. The sentencing guideline is 12 to 18 months – but 12 months is the maximum. The sentencing is set for April 21, 2022.
Last year, a US man was also caught at JFK with smuggled birds from Guyana. He was charged and admitted to the offence of smuggling.
Francis Gurahoo of Connecticut, US, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Judge Robert Levy in federal court. The charge stated that he tried to smuggle 34 live finches stuffed inside plastic hair rollers into the United States on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana, through the JFK Airport.
Gurahoo, according to reports, planned on selling the birds which are used in high-stakes bird singing competitions held in Brooklyn and Queens.
