AKWESASNE -- Constantin Chiriac, 42, and a citizen of Moldova, was sentenced today, Sept. 27, to time served (128 days in jail) for transporting an alien within the United States, according to Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.

Chiriac pleaded guilty on July 17. He admitted that on May 23, while on the Akwesasne reservation near Hogansburg he picked up a Hungarian citizen who had just crossed the border illegally from Canada, according to Jaquith.

Chiriac was driving the Hungarian citizen away from the border area when Border Patrol Agents stopped him. Chiriac admitted that he intended to transport the Hungarian citizen away from the border area and to Brooklyn, Jaquith said.

At the time, Chiriac was in the United States on a visitor (tourist) visa. Co-defendant Kanento Boots was convicted of the same charge and sentenced to time served (111 days in jail) on Sept. 11.

The smuggled Hungarian citizen, Zsolt Mihaly, pled guilty on June 6 to illegal entry into the United States, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 36 days in jail, according to Jaquith.

Following his sentence, Chiriac was remanded to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, for removal proceedings, Jaquith said.

This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.