CBP Officers in New York Apprehend Man Wanted for Aggravated Assault with Weapon

January 08, 2010: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations announced the arrest of a United States permanent resident wanted in New Jersey on aggravated assault with a weapon charges.

On January 6, CBP Field Operations officers encountered Shimon Yom Tov, a 46-year-old U.S. lawful permanent resident born in Israel, as he applied for admission into the United States at the Champlain, N.Y., port of entry. Yom Tov presented a valid Israeli passport as proof of citizenship and advised the officers that he was en route to visit an eye doctor in Philadelphia. A primary name query revealed that Yom Tov may be the subject of an active arrest warrant out of the state of New Jersey.

Yom Tov fingerprints were queried by CBP officers, confirming his identity. Additional record checks performed revealed that Yom Tov was in fact the subject of a no bond nation-wide felony warrant issued in January of 2003 by the Berlin (N.J.) Township Police Department. The warrant charges Yom Tov with aggravated assault with a weapon (sawed-off shotgun).

Further interviewing of Yom Tov revealed that after his January 2003 arrest, he fled the United States to Israel to avoid prosecution, abandoning his lawful permanent residence status in the United States. He entered Canada in November of 2009 as a visitor and has remained until his attempted entry into the United States this week.

CBP officers verified the validity of the warrant and confirmed extradition to New Jersey. Yom Tov was arrested and turned over to the custody of the New York State Police pending extradition.