CAVALIER COUNTY (trfnews.i234.me) — A Romanian woman faces federal charges for illegal reentry into the United States after being caught crossing the Canadian border near Langdon, North Dakota, with seven other people, including five children.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Simona Gunici was arrested on October 4 after U.S. Border Patrol agents tracked a black Volkswagen Atlas with Quebec license plates from a remote camera activation along the border.
The vehicle was stopped at a gas station in Langdon after agents followed it from a field about five miles west of Maida, North Dakota. All eight occupants — including five children — identified themselves as Romanian citizens, according to the complaint. They were taken to the Pembina Border Patrol Station for processing.
Previous Removal Orders
Court records show that Gunici was first arrested in Yuma, Arizona, in 2012. She was ordered to be removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge in October 2016 after failing to appear for hearings. She was arrested again in September 2018 near Massena, New York, on similar charges and later encountered by federal authorities at Miami International Airport in August 2023, when she was permitted to travel to Turkey.
In December 2022, police in Folsom, California, identified Gunici during an investigation into a jewelry theft scheme and circulated a public notice that included her photo.
October Arrest and Court Proceedings
Border Patrol agents said the October 4 detection came from a field motion sensor that picked up the vehicle driving south from Canada. The vehicle’s route and speed appeared to indicate an attempt to evade detection before it was stopped around 10:22 a.m.
Gunici was informed of her rights on October 5 and declined to answer questions. She was also advised of her right to contact Romanian consular officials, but did not request to do so, according to the complaint.
Gunici is scheduled for an initial appearance and arraignment on November 12 in federal court in Fargo. She remains in custody at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center pending further proceedings.
Under 8 U.S.C. §1326, illegal reentry after removal carries potential penalties of up to two years in prison, or more if prior convictions exist.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
