An Indian national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to smuggle aliens from India across the northern border with Canada into the United States.
According to court documents, Shivam LNU, 22, directed smuggling operations beginning from at least October 2024 through June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of aliens across the U.S.-Canada border into the Northern District of New York. The defendant’s role was to coordinate drivers to pick up aliens from the border and transport them further into the United States, specifically to stash houses around Northern New York and to hotels in Plattsburgh, New York. The defendant, who expected to be paid for his role, paid his drivers for each alien they smuggled. On Jan. 25, 2025, the defendant directed a co-conspirator to smuggle 12 aliens from India and the United Kingdom from Canada into the United States. The defendant paid his co-conspirator $100 per alien smuggled. On Jan. 26, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop two vehicles traveling in tandem near the U.S-Canada border. Both vehicles accelerated to avoid agents, triggering a pursuit. One vehicle went off the road and became immobilized, while the other was later stopped in Mooers, New York. The vehicles contained a total of 12 illegal aliens.
Shivam pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and three counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York, and Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Rouses Point and U.S. Border Patrol Burke Station are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Deputy Chief Rami S. Badawy 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 are prosecuting the case.