A Canadian-American citizen has pleaded guilty to smuggling illegal immigrants across the St. Lawrence River into New York by boat, leading to the death of a Romanian family.
Timothy Oakes, 35, earned $1,000 for each illegal smuggled into the U.S. while working for a human smuggling organization, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Oakes helped to smuggle illegals by boat from Cornwall, Ontario, to Cornwall Island, where he lived, and into New York through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reserve.
“Oakes used his home on Cornwall Island, Ontario, as a staging area for aliens before the HSO smuggled them into the United States,” the DOJ said.
The operation turned deadly on March 29, 2023, after Oakes left his boat along with a family of four Romanian nationals being smuggled at a boat launch for his brother, Casey Oakes, to pilot them across the river.
NEW: Canadian man arrested for human smuggling operation that left a family of four, including two children, DEAD
Timothy Oakes allegedly smuggled illegals into the US by boat, charging $1,000 per alien. He arranged to smuggle a Romanian family into the US, but the boat… pic.twitter.com/4QvvlPS40r
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 1, 2025
“While in transit, and shortly thereafter, the boat capsized due to severe weather. As a result, the Romanian family and Casey Oakes died,” according to the DOJ. “The defendant proceeded with the transport despite members of the alien smuggling organization being aware of the dangerous weather conditions on the St. Lawrence River, specifically high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility.”
Two of the fatalities were children under three years old.
Oakes pleaded guilty to four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, four counts of alien smuggling that resulted in death, and alien smuggling conspiracy. He faces five years in prison to a life sentence, which will be determined by a federal district court judge.
The CBC reported that four Indian nationals also died during the crossing. Their bodies were recovered from the river.
According to the DOJ, several co-conspirators in the smuggling operation previously pleaded guilty. Two people, Stephanie Square, 53, and Rahsontanohstha Delormier, 31, from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Territory, were extradited to the U.S. for trial.
