American Tourist Faces Deportation On Old Charges

[ChiangMaiMail]

American tourist faces deportation on old charges

By Richard Hardy

An American tourist is being detained by police in Chiang Mai after a routine visit to the U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai unearthed a15 year old warrant from the state of Alaska.

Life changed dramatically for 59 year old Claude Lavallee on February 21st after he walked into the U.S. Consulate to have more pages inserted into his passport. The passport was confiscated and on leaving he was arrested by Thai police and taken to Phra Singh police station to await deportation.

He has been told that the actions are due to his failure to attend a court hearing in Fairbanks, Alaska, 15 years ago on a bench warrant for possessing 2 ‘bong’ pipes, used for smoking cannabis. No drugs were found in his possession and traces in the pipes were too small to measure.

“My lawyer told me there was no need to attend court and I have never been told that a warrant was issued” said Mr Lavallee, speaking from the small cell he shares with 7 other men. “I renewed my passport in 2003 and there was no problem. I should have returned to my job in Zhengzhou on February 27th. Now I have lost my job and probably a car and motorcycle there too.”

American Consul-General Mike Morrow said that representations had been made to Thai police over the conditions in which Mr Lavallee is being held, but he could not comment further on the case.

A diabetic with angina and high blood pressure, Mr Lavallee now starts his 3rd week in detention and has a heavy cold. He says his cell is infested with mosquitoes, and at night ants and large cockroaches appear through the gaps in the wooden floor on which he has to sleep. The toilet is an open pipe in one corner. His one regular visitor is the English manager of the guest house where he stayed, who takes food and medicine to him.

“My one intention now is to return to Fairbanks, go to court, sort this matter out and put it behind me” emphasized Mr Lavallee. “I have not broken any law in Thailand, but of course am now overstaying my visa. The Thai police are quite friendly and seem just as bemused as I am about the whole thing.”

http://chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd11

-- Chiang Mai Mail 2010/03/09

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[elektrified]

Oh my god! Let me be the first to reply and also state emphatically that I am so ashamed of my government!

15 year old charges for holding a couple of bongs with no residue and they are deporting this man back to the USA to face charges? What charges? Possession of what? Nothing?

I'm so glad that I left that country 8 years ago!

[angiud]

But is Alaska a free cannabis use State? Isn't it?

[onnut]

That sucks!

Or blows, which everway you look at it!

[Jingthing]

There was more to it and he did skip the sentencing event, which is obviously illegal. However, bottom line, they should leave him alone, but it just goes to show you how once the wheels of the law get started, common sense is often held hostage.

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/05/1169143/alas...ning-after.html

[britmaveric]

Well should have thought of this before skipping out. This sort of sh*te catches up with you! Any rate surprised they would extradite over smth this minor, if he has to pay to get home than its one thing, but I think its a waste of time if tank govt foots the bill.

[Loaded]

Why did the consular officer inform the police? He hadn't broken Thai law. He hadn't breached Thai visa conditions. There are known career criminals, both Thai and foreigner, walking around freely and the US Consulate forces an arrest over this!

[bangkapiboy]

How shameful the US would do this. I'm ashamed to say that is my country when I read this.

[gotlost]

The home of Sarah Palin. Sucks!

[Yunnie]

You've got to be kidding me... out of all the lame stuff to arrest someone for. Now if he had killed someone thats a different matter. But for having a bong!?!?! <deleted>!

Well that child pornography distribution even though he was acquitted... is still very disturbing. But stilll....

I only have a year at most left before I can really leave the US and stay out. Just need to finish my degree and I'm never going back! >_<

[britmaveric]

Former Fairbanksan arrested in Thailand

FAIRBANKS — A former Fairbanks man who has been on the lam for nearly 15 years will soon return to the state to be sentenced for drug charges.

Claude Lavallee, 59, was convicted in January 1996 of providing marijuana to two teenagers doing carpentry work for him. He was acquitted of one count of child pornography distribution.

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/65781...ndow_left_top_2

Edited March 10, 2010 by britmaveric

[Jingthing]

The man shared some LEGAL AGE gay porn with a teen who was working for him because the teen told him he was questioning his sexuality. There was no child porn. Anyway, I think this whole incident is very unfortunate. However, I don't really believe he is being specifically persecuted. I think his name got into the system because he skipped his sentencing event. It was nothing personal, he DID skip his sentencing event. It could happen to anyone who did that. Of course it seems obvious he is not a danger to society (based on the charges and his life afterwards) but sometimes our past actions can haunt us. I feel very sorry for him but I don't think these comments about being ashamed of our country are really warranted due to this case. BTW, yes pot for personal use is legal in Alaska. It probably isn't legal to pay underage workers with pot though.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Jingthing

[britmaveric]

Well it was def more to it then just a couple bongs, funny thing is they will prob throw the book at him for skipping out now.

[Jingthing]

Well it was def more to it then just a couple bongs, funny thing is they will prob throw the book at him for skipping out now.

They might indeed. But the irony is that if he had gone to the sentencing, it is highly likely he wouldn't have gotten any time at all.

[jdinasia]

I think the issue is the FTA (Failure to Appear)--- the charges etc are more minor but basically he's no better than Thaksin in that he is wanted in his home country.

What do I think? I think that if after all this time he is still on the books then he needs to go home and clear it up and if forcing it is what happens to be needed to do it then ... buh bye. I tend to think that with plea agreements etc that there may be more to the case but I could certainly see him getting blacklisted from Thailand for this and that would certainly hurt if he had built any life here.

[ChiangMaiMail]

American teacher deported

By Richard Hardy

Claude Lavallee, an American teacher based in China who was arrested in Chiang Mai without charge, has been deported to the US, accompanied by 2 US marshals.

Fifty-nine year old Lavallee had his passport confiscated at the Chiang Mai U.S. Consulate when he went in during his holiday here to have extra pages inserted into it. He was told that 15 years ago a bench warrant had been issued for him in Fairbanks, Alaska, for failing to attend court on a charge of possessing 2 ‘bong’ pipes, used for smoking cannabis.

Lavallee responded that his lawyer had told him he need not attend, and he had heard nothing of the matter since.

Thai police arrested Lavallee as he left the Consulate, and he spent over 2 weeks in a small mosquito and cockroach infested cell in Phra Singh Police Station. A diabetic with angina and high blood pressure, he relied on the English owner of the guest house where he had been staying to take him medication and extra food.

Apart from making representations over the cell conditions, U.S. Consul-General Mike Morrow said that he could not comment on the case.

Less than a week after being transferred to immigration prison, Bangkok, Lavallee was met on March 9th by 2 U.S.Marshals who accompanied him on a flight to Los Angeles, to be met by officers who would take him to Alaska.

In a text message to friends, Lavallee said that he wanted nothing more than to attend court in Fairbanks and settle the matter. Conditions in the Bangkok jail had been much better than the Chiang Mai police cell, but he had met an inmate there who had been awaiting deportation for 23 years.

Having lost his job in China, Lavallee is hoping that a friend there can sell his car and a motorcycle to help pay for all the air fares, which he must at some time reimburse.

http://chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd11

-- Chiang Mai Mail 2010/03/16

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Edited March 17, 2010 by ChiangMaiMail

[up-country_sinclair]

I would think that the reason he showed up in the embassy computer data base (and was subsequently deported) is because of the charges of giving drugs and pornography to a minor. I can't imagine that they would go to all this trouble in other situations that didn't involve these (deservedly) hot topic issues.