An Ohio man is facing federal charges after he allegedly used a train trestle to walk from Maine into Canada, and return back again days later.
Darrell Murphy, 42, of Carrollton, Ohio, is charged with a misdemeanor of failure to present at a border crossing point. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday in United States District Court of Maine in Bangor.
Around 4:45 a.m. Monday, Murphy walked from Canada across the Saint Croix–Vanceboro Railway Bridge in northern Washington County, according to a probable cause affidavit. Murphy was seen carrying a duffel bag and suitcase when walking into Canada on Dec. 31, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police had photos of him.
Murphy had the same items when he allegedly walked back into the U.S. on Monday. Court documents do not say why Murphy allegedly made the trip.
Murphy is on a 25-year federal probation after he pleaded guilty in 2020 to travel in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct in North Carolina. In 2016 he traveled to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex, according to court records.
There is a federal warrant in Ohio for Murphy for his alleged probation violation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey said.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent found Murphy in the Vanceboro Post Office parking lot, which is less than a quarter mile from the train trestle. There was a pickup truck with Ohio license plates in the parking lot as well, the affidavit said.
Murphy first told the federal agent that he was camping and denied walking into Canada. He then admitted he had crossed and asked to be “cut a break,” the affidavit said.
Vanceboro is rural and no one else was out walking around the time of the arrest at 4:45 a.m., the affidavit said. There were boot tracks in the fresh snow that led from where he was arrested to the train trestle and into Canada.
Murphy did not challenge his detention and is held in custody by the U.S. Marshal Service. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine up to $5,000.
