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Elderly Ontario woman extradited to U.S. on decades-old pot charge

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 5:53pm
National Post
 
TORONTO — A 74-year-old woman from Hamilton, Ont., who attempted to cross the border into New York state earlier this week learned the hard way that the United States does not take kindly to drug charges — no matter how old.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection say Homenella Cole advised border officers at the Lewiston-Queenston border crossing Monday that she was inadmissible to the U.S. because of previous criminal convictions in Canada.

"She said she wanted a waiver to enter the U.S., which is not uncommon," said CBP spokesman Kevin Corsaro.

A routine criminal record check revealed that Cole was the subject of active felony warrant issued on April 1, 1980 by the New York City Police Department.

Cole was arrested on the outstanding warrant and was extradited to New York City, where the senior citizen will face the charge of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

"Apparently these warrants don't run out. But a 29-year-old warrant is definitely rare," Corsaro said.

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