BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Tunisian man is facing charges in Western New York for allegedly harassing a woman and her children.
The US Border Patrol Buffalo Sector was contacted by the Perry Police Department on December 2 after it received a report that a man was harassing her and her children.
According to investigators, the victim told officers that the man, identified as Monji Jelassi, 64, of Tunisia, asked if he could "purchase" her five-year-old child and then allegedly tried to entice the child into his vehicle.
During their investigation, officers discovered Jelassi only had a foreign-issued International Driver's license. After confirming his identity, officers also found that Jelassi was in the United States on an expired visa.
Jelassi is currently being held at the Federal Detention Facility in Batavia and is awaiting a deportation hearing.
“Removing this individual is a matter of public safety and aligns with the interests of our law enforcement partners to remove predators and other dangerous people from our communities,” said Patrol Agent in Charge David Banks in a release.
The US Border Patrol, Buffalo Sector, secures the border between points of entry in New York and Pennsylvania.
They want to remind community members that they can help keep the borders safe and report any suspicious activity at 1-800-331-0353.
