Canadian officials charge brothers in incident that shut down Houlton border crossing

5 years ago

HOULTON, Maine — Canadian officials charged two brothers from Halifax on Wednesday with committing a hoax related to terrorist activity in connection with an incident at the Houlton, Maine-Woodstock, New Brunswick, border crossing last month, according to CTV Atlantic News.

Bailey Roy, 21, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Damien Nicholas Roy, 22, of Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia, stopped their car at about 9:15 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, as they were headed into Maine in an area between the busy Canada and United States border crossing, according to the New Brunswick Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Two men inside the vehicle refused to communicate with Canada Border Services Agency officials or police, causing authorities to shut down the port of entry, which handles 3,000 to 4,000 vehicles daily, for about 12 hours, according to officials.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers took the pair into custody after the suspects drove their vehicle to the U.S. port of entry, according to the public affairs office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Bailey Roy was returned to Canada to the custody of the RCMP on Oct. 28 while his brother Damien Roy was returned on Nov. 25, according to CTV Atlantic. It is not clear why U.S. officials detained one brother involved in the border standoff so much longer than the other before also turning him over to Canadian officials.

Canadian authorities charged each man in Woodstock provincial court on Wednesday, Nov. 28, with committing a hoax related to terrorist activity, according to the CTV Atlantic. Each brother also faces a charge of obstruction in connection with the border incident.

The provincial court judge also imposed a publication ban on evidence in the case, according to the Canadian news agency. Both men remain in custody. Bailey Roy is due back in court on Dec. 4 while Damien Roy is set to appear in court on Dec. 18.