Quebec Man Who Used Boats And Cars To Smuggle Marijuana Into The United States Sentenced To Ten Years
ALBANY, N.Y. - Mathieu Forget, age 32, of St-Anicet, Quebec, Canada, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the New York Division.
Following his extradition from Canada, Forget admitted that he and his co-conspirators smuggled thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States from Canada through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation. The marijuana was distributed throughout the northeastern United States. Forget admitted to transporting hundreds of pounds of marijuana across the St. Lawrence River in a boat at least 20 times, and on 30 other occasions, helping transport hundreds of pounds of marijuana smuggled in vehicles to locations in New York and New England.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release following Forget’s term of imprisonment. Forget’s co-defendant, Allan Peters, was sentenced on February 12, 2015 to 144 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. A third defendant, Colin Stewart, pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing on August 8, 2018.
This case was the result of a joint investigation by the DEA-Albany District Office, Homeland Security (HSI), the United States Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the New York State Police, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Services, and the District Attorneys of Franklin and Clinton Counties.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Kopita and Douglas G. Collyer.