U.S. deports 70-year-old man after he 'violently' kicked a CBP dog at an airport
Article content
A 70-year-old man has been deported from the United States after kicking a U.S. Customs and Border Protection dog at an airport in the Washington, D.C. area on Tuesday.
Article content
CBP agriculture detector dog Freddie, a five-year-old beagle, and his handler were inspecting bags during a routine screening after a flight landed at the Dulles International Airport from Cairo, Egypt.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Freddie alerted his handler to a suitcase belonging to the 70-year-old, when the man 'violently' kicked the animal 'with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground,' authorities said Thursday. Officers handcuffed him and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents.
Article content
The veterinarian who examined Freddie determined the beagle had contusions to his right forward rib area. CBP Public Affairs Officer Steve Sapp told National Post in an emailed statement that Freddie is still recovering.
Article content
The vet said he needed rest and prescribed low dose pain medication, said Sapp, adding that the beagle should be back to work in a week.
Article content
Authorities searched the man's baggage and said they found more than 100 pounds of food products, including 55 pounds of beef, 44 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of eggplant, cucumbers and bell peppers, two pounds of corn seeds and one pound of herbs. The items, which are on the prohibited list, were seized, per the agency.
Article content
Article content
The man appeared before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia and pled guilty to harming animals used in law enforcement. He was credited with time served, ordered to pay the veterinarian bill and to report to CBP to be deported.
Article content
According to court documents obtained by CBS News, the veterinarian fee amounted to US$840.
Article content
He left the U.S. on a flight to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Article content
'Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one hundred pounds of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle,' said CBP's Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. Christine Waugh.
Article content
She added that Freddie was 'just doing his job.'
Article content
CBP K9 Freddy: Small dog, BIG impact! 🐶💪 With his handler, Officer Snyder, this talented pup is keeping our food and farms safe at Washington Dulles International Airport #ProtectingAgriculture #PawsontheFrontline #BugBustingBeagles #FarmDefenders #OFOproud🇺🇸🌾🍊
Posted by CBP Office of Field Operations on Friday, March 21, 2025
Article content
Freddie, who is part of CBP's Beagles Brigade, helps screen passengers and cargo 'to prevent the introduction of harmful plant pests and foreign animal disease from entering the U.S.,' the CBP said.
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
CTV National News: Father questions death of Canadian in ICE custody
Watch The father of Johnny Noviello says he doesn't know why his son was in an ICE detention centre in Miami. Kamil Karamali has the latest.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Here's what we know about the Canadian who died in ICE custody
Kamil Karamali provides more details on the death of a 49-year-old Canadian in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Johnny Noviello's former lawyer describes the 49-year-old, who died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday, as quiet, polite and respectful. 'Just always appreciative, respectful, excellent with communication, not the type of guy you would see wrapped up in the mess as Johnny did,' said Dan Leising, a defence lawyer who represented Noviello. 'Johnny was a very quiet, polite, unassuming guy.' Leising said his only known family member is his father, Angelo, who was 'distraught' to hear about his son's death. 'Just complete disbelief. Devastation, just complete devastation,' added Leising. 'Angelo is 80 years old. To be 80 and to have your kid die when he's 49, it's unimaginable.' According to ICE, Noviello was 'found unresponsive' on June 23 just before 1 p.m. at a federal detention centre in Miami. The government agency said medical staff tried to resuscitate him and used a defibrillator -- but was pronounced dead by the Miami Fire Rescue Department. 'This is the first time I've ever had a client die in any sort of custody,' said Leising. Noviello became a permanent resident in 1991, but, according to ICE, in October of 2023, he was convicted of racketeering and drug trafficking and sentenced to 12 months in prison. 'He did around four months of jail from October of 2023 to February of 2024,' said Leising, adding that Noviello did another year after that of 'community control,' which is a form of intensive supervision of offenders within the community. Leising said Noviello worked as a cashier at a store and worked in janitorial services. According to ICE, agents arrested Noviello on May 15 because of his previous conviction, which violated the conditions of his permanent residency. The press release says Noviello was detained pending removal proceedings, which means a person has been notified they are subject to a process that could lead to their deportation from the country. 'We were also in touch with him from a consular standpoint as soon as he was detained,' said Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand during a Zoom interview with CTV News, adding that Canada has also reached out to seek additional information. ICE says the cause of death is still under investigation and that they notified the Consulate of Canada of Noviello's death. Anand says there are approximately 55 Canadians who are still detained by ICE. According to ICE data, seven other people have died in 2025 while in ICE's custody.
CTV News
13 hours ago
- CTV News
5 accused of stealing rare sneakers from Marcus Jordan's warehouse in Florida during hurricane
Deputies said the warehouse contained many sneakers, including some rare ones, that Marcus Jordan, the son of Michael Jordan, sells to the public. (Orange County Sheriff's Office/WESH via CNN Newsource) ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) - As Hurricane Milton hit in 2024, masked thieves broke into a warehouse rented by the son of Michael Jordan and stole hundreds of rare sneakers, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the warehouse contained many sneakers, including some rare ones, that Marcus Jordan, the son of Michael Jordan, sells to the public. During the overnight hours of Hurricane Milton, male suspects broke into the warehouse while wearing gloves and masks. In the surveillance footage, the suspects are seen going through boxes and shelves. Ultimately, they stole hundreds of shoes, deputies said. The suspects loaded the sneakers into a van belonging to Marcus Jordan. Deputies said the suspects took advantage of the dangers presented by Hurricane Milton. Investigators were able to track down the suspects after getting a tip that a rare pair of sneakers was being sold in downtown Orlando. They are facing charges of burglary of a structure during a state of emergency, grand theft during a state of emergency and grand theft of a motor vehicle with a mask, among other charges. 'If you own a business, this is a reminder: a good surveillance system can make all the difference,' the OCSO said. By Allison Petro.
