A Canadian woman remains in federal custody after she allegedly tried to cross two Russian nationals from Mexico to the United States via the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, a federal criminal complaint reads.
Nadezda Asktanova, born in 1985, also tried to drive through the port of entry without stopping until she was halted by additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, the complaint reads.
According to the Feb. 13, complaint, Asktanova “attempted to run the port by failing to stop at a primary inspection area disregarding officer presence. Immediately after, secondary U.S. Customs officers were alerted and managed to stop the vehicle before departing the port of entry.”
As the officers walked up to the vehicle, they found two other people inside it that were Russian nationals, who had no documents in their possession that said they were allowed to be or live in the U.S., the complaint stated.
According to the complaint, Asktanova admitted to traveling to Mexico to pick up the Russians, bring them into the U.S. and then transport them to Canada, which was their destination.
Asktanova appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III, who ordered she be held without bond.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 17.
Torteya also ordered the two Russian nationals be held as material witnesses in the case.
