ALBANY, NEW YORK – Andrew Avila, age 45, of Acworth, Georgia, was sentenced yesterday to a 60-day term of imprisonment, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release, and to pay a $5,000 fine, for the misdemeanor offense of entering the Port of Albany under false pretenses. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and U.S. Department of Energy Inspector General Teri L. Donaldson.
Avila was convicted on December 2, 2021 after a four-day jury trial. The trial evidence demonstrated that Avila traveled from Atlanta, Georgia, on May 2, 2018, and entered the Port of Albany by passing himself off as a Department of Energy (“DOE”) employee. The Port of Albany is a secured area that spans parts of Albany, Rensselaer, and the Town of Bethlehem, New York, and is subject to a security plan required and approved by the United States Coast Guard.
This case was investigated by the Department of Energy, Office of the Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily C. Powers and Rick Belliss.
