Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Dec 7: A 42-year-old woman from New York has been arrested and charged for allegedly helping smuggle several people — mostly Indian nationals — into the United States through the Canadian border, according to a report by PTI.

The accused, Stacey Taylor of Plattsburgh, appeared in court this week after a federal grand jury in Albany indicted her in October for her alleged role in an organised smuggling network operating along the northern border.

According to U.S. court records, Border Patrol agents intercepted Taylor’s vehicle near Churubusco, close to the Quebec border, during the early hours of January. Officers discovered four men inside her car — three Indian nationals and one Canadian — who had reportedly crossed into the U.S. illegally and without inspection.

A search of Taylor’s mobile phone revealed text messages indicating her involvement in multiple smuggling trips in the days leading up to the January incident. Investigators have also connected her to another suspected smuggling attempt as recently as September 2025.

Faces up to five years for each smuggling count

The indictment includes one charge of conspiracy to smuggle migrants and four counts of smuggling for profit, three of which are classified as “second or subsequent offences.”

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti said each smuggling-for-profit count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, with additional prison time possible for repeat offenders.

Taylor remains under federal investigation as authorities continue cracking down on cross-border human smuggling routes used extensively by migrants, including those from India.