A Plattsburgh, New York, woman, Stacey Taylor, 42, appeared in federal court Monday, accused of running a human smuggling operation that brought migrants from India across the Canadian border into the U.S. Prosecutors say she continued her smuggling activities even after being caught with four foreign nationals during a freezing January night.
Taylor faces charges of conspiracy and multiple counts of alien smuggling for profit, including repeat offenses that could trigger enhanced penalties. Court filings state that the investigation began on January 20, 2025, when U.S. Border Patrol intercepted her vehicle near Churubusco, New York. Inside were four men—three Indian nationals and one Canadian citizen—who had allegedly crossed into the U.S. illegally. Authorities noted the men had traversed the border on foot in freezing conditions.
A search of Taylor’s cellphone reportedly revealed texts coordinating additional smuggling runs prior to her arrest. Court records indicate that she continued smuggling migrants in August and September 2025, despite her January apprehension.
If convicted, Taylor faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison for each smuggling-for-profit count, with potential enhancements for repeat offenses.
The case is part of a broader effort by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security partnership, which has secured over 375 convictions and seized significant criminal assets from transnational smuggling networks.
The prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York.