A federal grand jury has indicted Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, New York, for allegedly running a cross-border human smuggling operation that brought migrants—primarily from India—into the U.S. from Canada in exchange for profit.
Taylor was arraigned this week in Albany following a multi-count indictment returned on October 2. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, she faces charges of conspiracy to smuggle aliens and four counts of alien smuggling for profit—three of which are repeat offenses.
If convicted, Taylor faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison per smuggling count, with added penalties for the repeat charges.
Caught near the border in freezing conditions
The case began on January 20, when U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped Taylor’s vehicle near Churubusco, N.Y., just south of the Canadian border. Inside the car, officers found four men—three Indian nationals and one Canadian—who had just crossed into the U.S. without inspection in freezing weather conditions.
A search of Taylor’s phone revealed text messages related to other recent smuggling attempts. Authorities say she was involved in additional smuggling incidents in August and again in September 2025, while already under investigation.
Allegations of a wider smuggling conspiracy
Federal prosecutors allege that Taylor was part of a broader international smuggling network, moving migrants across the northern border for money. The case is tied to Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA)—a multi-agency federal initiative targeting transnational smuggling operations.
JTFA’s work has so far led to more than 425 arrests, 375 convictions, and 325 significant jail sentences, according to the Department of Justice.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Rouse’s Point, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Border Patrol Champlain Station, with support from national task forces.
Part of a national crackdown
Taylor’s prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, a DOJ campaign focused on dismantling cartels and smuggling networks linked to illegal immigration and organized crime. The operation combines the efforts of the DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is a formal accusation and not evidence of guilt. Taylor is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the DOJ’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt of the Northern District of New York.
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