Member of Deadly Human Smuggling Organization Extradited from Canada

The Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (often called Akwesasne or, on the U.S. side, the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation) is Mohawk Nation territory along the St. Lawrence River that uniquely straddles:

• the international border between the United States and Canada, and
• internal borders between New York State, Quebec, and Ontario.

Because of this cross‑border geography:

• Multiple governments have overlapping authority: U.S. federal (e.g., Border Patrol, HSI), New York State, Canada federal (RCMP, CBSA), Quebec and Ontario police, plus Mohawk tribal governments and police.
• Criminal cases can trigger several legal systems at once (U.S. federal law, Canadian federal law, provincial/state law, and tribal law), requiring formal agreements and task forces for investigations.
• Law‑enforcement cooperation is routine: agencies use joint investigations, cross‑designation agreements, and mutual assistance treaties to investigate crimes like smuggling that move back and forth across the river.

This patchwork makes smuggling investigations more complex but also means many agencies can contribute evidence and arrests.

Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) is a U.S. Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security initiative created in 2021 to coordinate complex investigations and prosecutions against human‑smuggling and trafficking networks, especially those moving people across the U.S. southwest border.

How JTFA differs from a typical U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) case:

• Structure: JTFA is an inter‑agency task force led by DOJ’s Criminal Division and DHS, pulling prosecutors and investigators from multiple USAOs, Main Justice sections, and DHS components into one team.
• Scope: It targets larger, transnational organizations (not just individual smugglers in one district), often running multi‑district or international cases.
• Tools: It coordinates international cooperation, uses specialized units (e.g., Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit), and can centralize strategy and resources across districts.

A regular USAO prosecution is usually confined to crimes within one federal district and run by that local office alone, though it may still get some support from Main Justice.

In U.S. federal law, “alien smuggling for profit” generally refers to knowingly helping non‑citizens enter or attempt to enter the United States illegally for financial or other material gain.

Key points:

• It is prosecuted under 8 U.S.C. § 1324, which covers bringing in, transporting, or harboring non‑citizens knowing or in reckless disregard that they lack legal status.
• The “for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain” clause elevates the offense; it does not require a successful crossing—attempts and conspiracies can also be charged.

Possible penalties (depending on the facts):

• Up to 10 years in prison per count for smuggling for financial gain in many cases.
• Up to 20 years or more per count if the crime results in serious bodily injury, and up to life imprisonment or death penalty if it results in death.
• Fines and forfeiture of proceeds and equipment (e.g., vehicles or boats) can also be imposed.

The exact sentence, if convicted, depends on the number of counts, any deaths or injuries, prior record, and the federal sentencing guidelines.

The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) is the Indigenous police service for the Mohawk community of Akwesasne on the Canadian side of the border.

• It is a First Nations policing agency that enforces Canadian federal, provincial, and Mohawk Council of Akwesasne bylaws within its jurisdiction.
• AMPS works closely with the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and Quebec police, as well as U.S. agencies across the river, on cross‑border issues like smuggling.

In the St. Lawrence River smuggling case tied to Delormier, publicly reported facts indicate that:

• AMPS officers rescued Delormier from the river after he became stranded in freezing conditions shortly before the fatal smuggling attempt, according to U.S. charging documents summarized in news reports.
• AMPS also assisted the broader investigation alongside other Canadian and tribal agencies, helping document events on the Canadian side and coordinating with U.S. investigators.

Extradition from Canada to the U.S. is governed by the Canada–U.S. Extradition Treaty and Canada’s Extradition Act.

How it works in cases like this:

1. U.S. request: The U.S. sends a formal extradition request with the indictment, arrest warrant, and supporting evidence.
2. Canadian review and arrest: Canada’s federal justice officials review it and, if the legal test is met, authorize a provisional arrest.
3. Extradition hearing: A Canadian judge holds a committal hearing to decide whether the legal standards (including “dual criminality” – the conduct is a crime in both countries) are met.
4. Ministerial decision: If the judge commits the person for extradition, the federal Minister of Justice decides whether to issue a surrender order. Appeals and judicial review are possible.

Timeline:

• In practice, contested extraditions between Canada and the U.S. often take many months to a few years because of hearings and appeals.
• In this case, public reports show a Quebec judge ordered Stephanie Square and Rahsontanohstha Delormier committed for extradition in March 2025, with Delormier actually extradited and appearing in U.S. court in December 2025—roughly nine months after the committal decision (and longer from the initial U.S. indictment).

To prove conspiracy and human‑smuggling charges in U.S. federal court, prosecutors typically rely on a mix of documentary, physical, digital, and testimonial evidence showing both the agreement and the acts carrying it out. Common types include:

• Surveillance and video: Hotel and toll‑plaza cameras, bridge or border‑crossing footage, and roadside or marina cameras showing meetings, vehicle movements, and boat launches.
• Records and documents: Hotel registration records, phone and messaging records, rental or ownership records for vehicles and boats, financial records showing payments from migrants or intermediaries.
• Physical evidence: The recovered boat, life jackets, cell phones, GPS units, and other gear, often tied to defendants through fingerprints, DNA, or ownership records.
• Witness testimony: Testimony from migrants, cooperating co‑conspirators, and law‑enforcement agents explaining how the smuggling trips were organized and who did what.
• Expert or agent testimony: Border and HSI agents testifying about smuggling patterns and how the defendants’ conduct fits those patterns.

In the Delormier case specifically, news reporting on the U.S. charging documents notes: surveillance footage, hotel records, boat recovery from the St. Lawrence River, Delormier’s prior rescue by AMPS, and a cooperating witness identifying the green boat as key pieces of evidence.

After an initial appearance in U.S. federal court, the usual next steps are:

1. Detention/bail decision: A magistrate judge decides whether the defendant will be detained or released pending trial, based on flight risk and danger to the community (under the Bail Reform Act).
2. Arraignment: The defendant is formally advised of the indictment and enters a plea (usually not guilty at first).
3. Pre‑trial phase: Discovery (exchange of evidence), pre‑trial motions, and any plea negotiations.
4. Trial or plea: If there is no plea agreement, the case goes to a jury trial; otherwise, the defendant may plead guilty and proceed to sentencing.

As of the latest publicly available reporting (December 2025), the Justice Department and media accounts state only that Rahsontanohstha Delormier made his initial appearance in Plattsburgh after extradition. They do not yet report a scheduled U.S. trial date or clearly state whether he was ordered detained or released; that information would normally appear in subsequent court filings or local docket entries, which have not been widely reported.