U.S. lawyer says Dawn Walker likely has 'years of legal issues ahead'
It is going to be a tough legal road ahead for a Saskatchewan woman who is accused of illegally crossing the US border with her child.
Dawn Walker and her child were reported missing on July 24. They were found on Aug. 5 in Oregon City, Oregon.
She now faces charges in the U.S. of aggravated identity theft and possession of false documents.
“These are the equivalent of what's called an indictable offence in Canada,” U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders told CTV News.
“So these are not just simple misdemeanour summary charges. These are serious felony offences.”
Saunders said Walker is facing trouble on many grounds.
“She has federal criminal charges. Then after the criminal charges are dealt with by the US government, she'll then have immigration charges for false entry into the United States. And then when she does eventually leave the US, I'm assuming the government is going to want to extradite her to Canada. She’s going to face, I believe, criminal charges in Canada for obtaining false Canadian passports. So I think she has, you know, years of legal issues ahead of her now.”
Saunders said Walker is likely looking at months in custody in the US before she’ll be returned to Canada.
“This is going to be a long road.”
For the aggravated identity theft charges in the US, Walker could face two years of jail time but Saunders said her defence could plead time served to reduce the sentence.
He also said she will have trouble if she ever hopes to return to the U.S.
“I think what's going to happen long term is she's going to have years of not being able to re-enter the United States. Canadians who have criminal convictions, whether in Canada or the United States, quite often need waivers to enter the US in the future," he said.
"So once these charges are finally dealt with, assuming that she's found guilty or pleads guilty, she's then going to basically go up to Canada and have to spend years in Canada before she's deemed rehabilitated to come back into the United States.
"You know, some people try to sneak in but her criminal activities from what I can read in the criminal charges, it seems like a very sophisticated plan,” Saunders said.
“A lot of planning went into what she is charged with committing."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.