Guilty plea from Fort Erie man who brought drugs across the border

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer canine unit searches vehicles at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry in Buffalo, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston)

A man from Fort Erie, Ont. is awaiting sentencing after he was caught at the U.S. border with drugs in his vehicle.

Eric Hagen, 57, pleaded guilty to importation of controlled substances.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, as well as a $1,000,000 fine.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York, Hagen was convicted in June 2024 for possession of child pornography in St. Catharines, Ont.

Then, on Aug. 1, 2025, he was pulled over while trying to cross the border at the Peace Bridge.

Customs and Border Protection flagged his vehicle for a secondary inspection, during which officers found multiple cellphones, hard drives, a laptop and baby monitor.

There were also two plastic containers containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. They did not reveal the estimated street value of the drugs.

Authorities said Hagen’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22, 2026.