The Chainsaw Massacre ~ Scary

Would u allow this man into your house?

Taken from excerpt : http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/06/09/congressman_questioning_a_bizarre_border_crossing/

Customs officials said yesterday that they were concerned when Gregory Allan Despres crossed the border from Canada into Maine on April 25 carrying a cache of weapons, as well as a chainsaw that appeared to be splattered with blood, and asserting that he worked for the president.

But US Representative Stephen F. Lynch, a South Boston Democrat, criticized customs' handling of Depres.

''If we've got that kind of evidence in our possession and yet we're not taking the necessary steps to prevent someone like that from entering the country, then I guess you have to ask what else are we doing out there in terms of trying to gather other evidence and protect the country against threats on the border," he said.

While conceding that the case involved bizarre circumstances that may not arise again soon, Lynch said it raises questions about ''whether all this investment in border security is really paying off."

Jayson Ahern, assistant commissioner for field operations for US Customs and Border Protection, insisted yesterday that the border officers did exactly what they were supposed to do.

''Certainly, there was a lot of behavior that raised concerns by our inspectors," said Ahern, confirming allegations in court records that Despres said he was a Marine sergeant who worked for the president of the United States and was waiting for a helicopter. ''He certainly did demonstrate bizarre behavior, but that's not illegal," Ahern said.

When Despres arrived at the Calais, Maine, border about 7:30 a.m. on April 25, carrying the chainsaw, a homemade sword, a hatchet, brass knuckles, and pepper spray, inspectors held him for two hours while they checked various databases and watch lists and took his fingerprints, Ahern said.

Customs inspectors also called in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Calais police and determined that there were no outstanding warrants for Despres, he said.

The inspectors discovered that Despres was supposed to appear in a New Brunswick courtroom that day to be sentenced on charges that he had assaulted and threatened the nephew of one of his neighbors, according to Ahern.

Still, Ahern said, customs inspectors were advised by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that they couldn't take action against Despres for failing to appear in court because ''it was still early in the morning" and that it was possible Despres could appear in court later that day.