Drum soldier, again AWOL, planned to turn himself in

ALEXANDRIA BAY — A Fort Drum soldier has been apprehended here a second time for being absent without official leave from the Army.

Christopher L. Thomas, 21, Tucson, Ariz., was stopped at the Wellesley Island port of entry Wednesday by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers as he applied for admission into the United States.

According to a Customs and Border Patrol statement, Mr. Thomas admitted he was AWOL and said he was returning to the United States to turn himself in to authorities. He told officers he entered Canada in early April by car and stayed with his fiancee. When the engagement was broken off, Mr. Thomas decided to turn himself in as AWOL.

He had been charged March 17 by border officers here with desertion after a query of his name revealed he was the subject of a federal arrest warrant issued by military police at Fort Drum for being AWOL. He told officers at that time he was living with his girlfriend in Kingston, Ontario. He was arrested and turned over to military police at Fort Drum in that incident.

On Wednesday, he also was turned over to military police and was charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He was returned to Fort Drum to answer the charges.