Jalbert hopes guilty plea will avoid more U.S. jail time

A Quebec man who was arrested after illegally crossing the U.S. border to buy gas has reached a plea bargain with American prosecutors.

Michel Jalbert spent 35 days in a Maine jail before being being freed on bail. He was released in November after signing a paper admitting that he slipped across the border without talking to border guards first, and that he had a hunting rifle in his truck.

On Friday, his U.S. lawyer confirmed that Jalbert has agreed to plead guilty to being in the U.S. illegally with a firearm.

Jon Haddow said the deal satisfies his client, even though it will leave Jalbert with a criminal record, and may prevent him from ever returning to the United States.

"For Mr. Jalbert, really from the start, his chief concern was that he not spend any more time in jail," Haddow told CBC News.

"I don't care if I can't visit the U.S. again," Jalbert agreed. "I'll stay in Canada."

The bargain must still be approved by a judge. Haddow expects that will happen March 10, the day before Jalbert's trial is scheduled to begin.

• FROM NOV. 13, 2002: Quebec man arrested after cross-border fill-up released from Maine jail

Jalbert was arrested Oct. 11 after zipping across the border from Pohenegamook, Que., to Estcourt Station, Me., to buy some gasoline. Quebec and Maine residents have made similar trips across each other's border for years, but U.S. guards recently started cracking down on travellers as part of anti-terrorist security measures.

"I think that this whole exercise has accomplished its purpose, from (Washington's) standpoint," according to Haddow. The U.S. wanted to send a signal that the days of crossing the border without checking in are over, he said. "And I've been hearing reports that this is actually having the desired effect at all border crossings."