The owner of Smuggler’s Inn, a bed and breakfast off 0 Avenue in Blaine, Wash., is scheduled to go to trial to face human smuggling-related charges Sept. 14 to Oct. 9.
A representative for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada told Peace Arch News last week that Robert Boule’s trial was moved at defence request because his lawyer was appointed to the bench in December.
He was initially scheduled to go to trial Jan. 13 to Feb. 5 of this year.
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Boule is facing nine charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, an additional 12 under section 145 (3) of the Criminal Code for breach of bail.
Boule was initially facing a total of 30 charges, however, the Crown prosecutor stayed nine charges in June.
The offences are alleged to have occurred between April 2016 and March 2019.
Boule was released on bail last April with more than a dozen conditions, including that he must deny potential customers if they give any indication of a plan to enter Canada illegally; and, he must erect an illuminated four-by-eight foot sign 10 feet from the border of his property that states it’s illegal to enter Canada directly from the Smuggler’s Inn property.
