A New York woman faces federal charges for allegedly running a human smuggling operation that brought foreign nationals across the Canadian border, authorities announced.
Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, appeared for arraignment Monday after being indicted for smuggling primarily Indian nationals into the United States for profit, per a December 5 Office of Public Affairs press release.
Border Patrol agents first caught Taylor on January 20 near Churubusco, New York. Inside her vehicle were four men who had just crossed illegally in freezing temperatures. Three were Indian nationals, and one was Canadian. Investigators later found text messages on Taylor’s phone suggesting multiple prior smuggling ventures.
Despite her January arrest, authorities say Taylor continued her alleged smuggling activities. She was stopped again in August and implicated in smuggling as recently as September.
The October 2 indictment charges Taylor with conspiracy and four counts of alien smuggling for profit. Three counts are listed as repeat offenses.
If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison per smuggling count. Additional time applies for subsequent offenses.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Joint Task Force Alpha, which targets transnational criminal organizations, coordinated the effort.
The task force has made over 425 arrests and secured more than 375 convictions nationwide. It operates as part of Operation Take Back America, a Justice Department initiative targeting cartels and border crime.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General, and U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III made the announcement. Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt are prosecuting the case.
