Quebec man accused of smuggling guns through Haskell Free Library bathroom

DERBY LINE — A 40-year-old man from Montreal was recently extradited from Quebec to face multiple federal firearms charges, including exporting firearms from the United States into Canada without a permit through the Haskell Free Library.

Authorities say that from July 2010 to April 2011, Alexis Vlachos, 40, of Montreal, working with Annette Wexler and another co-conspirator, bought approximately 100 handguns from multiple licensed gun dealers in Florida.

In purchasing these guns, the indictment alleges that Annette Wexler and her co-conspirator falsely stated on the ATF forms they were the true owners of the firearms when they were actually purchasing these firearms on behalf of Vlachos with the intention of smuggling the firearms into Quebec.

In addition, the indictment alleges that on March 25, 2011, Wexler and the co-conspirator traveled to Derby Line with multiple handguns and hid a small backpack containing these handguns in the bathroom of the Haskell Free Library.

Vlachos, who entered the library after walking from Quebec, went into the bathroom, retrieved the backpack containing the handguns, exited the library, and walked back into Quebec without going through the port-of-entry.

The indictment against Vlachos, returned by the grand jury in February 2015, contains five counts.

The first count charges Vlachos with conspiring to export approximately 100 handguns from the United States to Quebec without a munitions permit from the Department of State.

Two counts charge Vlachos with exporting specific handguns without a permit and the remaining two counts charge Vlachos with possession of specific firearms in the United States while in alien status.

Annette Wexler previously pled guilty to conspiring to make false statements to licensed gun dealers and unlawful exportation. Her sentencing is scheduled to take place in July.

At his initial appearance in the United States on June 5, 2017, Vlachos pled not guilty to the charges and did not contest continued detention until trial.

If he is convicted, he faces a maximum possible term of imprisonment of twenty years.