BANGOR – An African man was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court to 95 days in jail or time served for crossing the border illegally and possessing forged papers.

Omar Kah, also known as Daniel Michael Pearson, was expected to be returned to Canada and from there, returned to his West African homeland of Mauritania.

He faced up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Kah, 29, was arrested on Dec. 22 at the Calais border crossing in a taxicab and charged with attempted illegal re-entry after deportation and possession of fraudulent identification documents.

He claimed that he was a Canadian citizen named Daniel Michael Pearson and told U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials that he was destined to visit his brother in Chicago.

A records check showed that Pearson is a white male born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1982.

Records also showed that Kah was refused entry on Dec. 21 at the Houlton border crossing because he lacked identification proving he was a Canadian citizen.

Kah was ordered deported in August 2003 at Chicago and ordered to surrender for deportation the following June, but failed to appear, according to court documents.