It was established that a 31-year-old resident of the city of Kryvyi Rih, who positioned himself as a pastor and preacher in three different religious organizations, produced fictitious documents for “clients” – conscript citizens of Ukraine, thanks to which they received the opportunity to cross the state border of Ukraine during the operation martial law, and also took them out of Ukraine with his transport.
The fictitious documents stated that the citizens who tried to leave Ukraine were supposedly deacons or preachers of one of these three religious organizations.
The perpetrator was exposed by operatives of the Migration Police Department in Lviv region together with employees of the State Border Service, operatives of the criminal police and investigators of police department No. 2 of Lviv district police department No. 1, under the procedural guidance of the Zhovkiv district prosecutor’s office.
On August 4, law enforcement officers detained a “pastor-preacher” and one of his “clients” during an attempt to illegally cross the state border of Ukraine. In general, his involvement in the commission of ten such crimes was established.
The pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings opened under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 332 (Illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine has been completed. The indictment is referred to the court.
For the crime committed, the suspect faces a penalty of imprisonment for a term of five to seven years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.
Communications Department of the Lviv Oblast Police