Bronx Man Admits Fleeing Port of Entry, Ammunition Possession

UTICA, NEW YORK - Miguel Rodriguez, age 36, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty yesterday to high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ogdensburg Port of Entry Director Thomas Trimboli made the announcement.

Rodriguez admitted that on January 20, 2025, he arrived from Canada to the U.S. Customs Port of Entry in Ogdensburg, New York, driving a red Infinity sedan, but sped away without stopping and reporting for inspection. A short time later, a St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputy found Rodriguez driving the Infinity in Ogdensburg and attempted to stop him. Rodriguez refused to pull over and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, which ended when Rodriguez struck a pickup truck occupied by three people and then crashed into a residence in Ogdensburg; no one was injured. A search of the Infinity revealed a 12-round handgun magazine containing four 9mm bullets. Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for assault.

At sentencing, scheduled for July 17, 2025, Rodriguez faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison for the ammunition possession and a maximum of 5 years in prison for fleeing from the Port of Entry, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

HSI and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.