New York Woman Pleads Guilty in Human Smuggling Case That Led to Tragic Deaths

A New York woman has pleaded guilty for her role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of a family of four, including two young children, in the St. Lawrence River.

Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, admitted to conspiring with others to bring Indian and Romanian nationals into the United States for financial gain. Court documents indicate that her co-conspirators, Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of Akwesasne-Mohawk, New York, had also entered guilty pleas in previous months.

According to prosecutors, the smuggling network operated within the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation and Cornwall, Ontario, facilitating the illegal entry of individuals into the U.S. via boat across the St. Lawrence River. The organization allegedly housed individuals in motels before arranging for their transport across the border under unsafe conditions.

In late March 2023, Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow were involved in the illegal transportation of a Romanian family—parents and their two children, aged one and two—from Cornwall into New York. Despite warnings of severe weather conditions on March 29, including high winds and freezing temperatures, the family was placed in a small boat. The vessel capsized during the crossing, resulting in their deaths.

Federal officials emphasized the dangers posed by human smuggling operations. Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon for the Northern District of New York stated that securing the northern border remains a priority to prevent similar tragedies.

Montour pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, alien smuggling for financial gain, and alien smuggling resulting in death. He faces a mandatory life sentence for the charges related to the deaths. Sharrow and Terrance also pleaded guilty to conspiracy and smuggling for financial gain, facing potential sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Massena with assistance from multiple U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies. The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, which targets human smuggling networks deemed to pose significant security risks or humanitarian concerns.

A federal judge will determine the sentencing for the defendants, considering applicable guidelines and statutory factors.