CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Keyur Hirenbhai Patel, a citizen of India, was charged with illegally reentering the United States, authorities said.
Keyur Hirenbhai Patel made his initial appearances before U.S. District Judge Curtis Gomez on Thursday.
After preliminary and detention hearings on Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller ordered Keyur Hirenbhai Patel detained. The complaint alleges that Customs and Border Patrol officers encountered Keyur Hirenbhai Patel at the Red Hook ferry dock in St Thomas.
The officers conducted immigration inspections and determined that Keyur Hirenbhai Patel was not in possession of any documentation which allowed him to be in or to enter the United States.
The officers proceeded to detain him and transport him to the Cyril E. King Airport for further inspection.
According to court documents, record checks conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers revealed that Keyur Hirenbhai Patel was previously ordered removed from the United States on October 29, 2018, and neither the Secretary of Homeland Security nor the Attorney General has expressly consented to his reapplying for admission.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP Air and Marine.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt.
“Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty,” she said.