New York woman charged with smuggling aliens into US through Canadian border for profit

A 42-year-old Plattsburgh, New York woman was arraigned Monday after a grand jury in Albany returned an indictment charging her with participating in an international conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States across the northern border.

Stacey Taylor was indicted Oct. 2 for her alleged role in an illegal immigrant smuggling operation that, according to court records, brought foreign nationals, primarily from India, into the country through illegal crossings from Canada into northern New York. The case stems from an early morning stop on Jan. 20, when U.S. Border Patrol agents intercepted Taylor’s vehicle near Churubusco, New York, court records state. Agents reported finding four foreign nationals inside the vehicle. Investigators later determined the men, three Indian nationals and one Canadian national, had recently crossed the US-Canadian border without inspection in freezing conditions.

After examining Taylor’s cellphone, law enforcement found text messages they say indicate she had been involved in multiple smuggling ventures in the days leading up to the January stop. Authorities also allege Taylor remained connected to suspected smuggling activity after her January 2025 arrest. Court records state she was later stopped during a suspected smuggling venture in August 2025 and implicated in activity as recently as September 2025.

According to the indictment, Taylor is charged with conspiracy to engage in illegal immigrant smuggling and four counts of alien smuggling for profit. Prosecutors say three of the four smuggling counts are alleged to be second or subsequent offenses. If convicted, Taylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for each count of alien smuggling for profit, with potential additional time tied to the counts alleged as repeat offenses.

Officials said the investigation is part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a partnership between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security focused on dismantling human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the Americas. The Justice Department says JTFA has produced more than 425 domestic and international arrests, more than 375 US convictions, more than 325 significant jail sentences, and forfeitures of substantial assets.