A number of people in upstate New York are facing trial in relation to a number of illegal crossings from Canada into the US involving Irish and UK nationals in October and November.
New York man Allen 'AJ' Oshier is accused of "bringing in and harboring aliens," including Irish nationals, in a criminal complaint that was filed in New York's Northern District Court on November 14.
Oshier is accused of being the 'coordinator' of several illegal crossings, though he told authorities he did not work alone.
Scott Davison and Jonathan Popiel are facing trial, accused of "bringing in and harboring aliens" - Irish nationals - on November 6. Both told authorities they were working for Oshier.
Corbey Terrance and Brian DeShane are also facing trial, accused of "conspiracy to bring and harbor aliens" - UK nationals - over the border on October 29. Both separately told authorities that they worked together at the direction of Oshier to pick up the aliens on the shore of Hoople Island, an island in Canada called just north of the international border.
Robert LaRock, Tamee Rood, and Brent Pelkey are also facing trial, accused of "conspiracy to bring and harbor aliens" - UK nationals - between November 9 and November 11.
The seven-page criminal complaint lodged in New York's Northern District Court and seen by IrishCentral on December 10 outlines each of the illegal crossing instances and how Oshier was involved.
In the instance involving Irish nationals on November 6, the criminal complaint explains how authorities tracked down a black Jeep that they believed was being used to transport foreign nationals who had illegally crossed the border from Canada into the US.
The Jeep’s driver, Davison, and front seat passenger, Popiel, are US citizens who, when questioned, told authorities they were working for Oshier.
The complaint says that when the Jeep was pulled over, “one of the back seat passengers, later identified with initials E.C., handed agents two US passports for two of her children and claimed she was born in Ireland and a citizen of Ireland.
“Agents questioned the other adult backseat passenger, later identified as Andrew Cash, regarding his citizenship and he also claimed to be a citizen of Ireland and admitted that he and his family just crossed the border from Canada into the United States.
“Cash and E.C. stated that the third child was a Canadian citizen."
The foreign nationals, the driver, and the front seat passenger were transported to Burke Border Patrol Station for further record checks, interviews, and processing, the complaint says.
At the station, Davison told authorities that Oshier was paying him $100 to transport the people to a hotel in Massena, New York, and that Cash was paying him 1,000 Canadian dollars "in exchange for agreeing to take Cash to New Jersey."
Popiel told investigators at the station that he was supposed to be paid $250 to transport the people from the border to the hotel in Massena and that he was told by the coordinator that he would be "'moving' Irish citizens."
Popiel added that he and Davison were compensated by Oshier with crack cocaine (or similar narcotic), which they both smoked prior to smuggling the non-citizens.
Meanwhile, Irish national Cash told authorities he was charged 3,500 Canadian dollars to be smuggled into the US. He said that he received Davison's phone number from Oshier, but added that he deleted all of his contacts after they were pulled over in the Jeep "out of fear of retribution." Cash believed he was going to be transported to Oshier's residence in Massena to pay him. Cash said he and his family were traveling to New York City or Boston to look for work.
Biographical information and fingerprints were entered into Department of Homeland Security databases for all seven subjects at the station.
The complaint notes that record checks revealed that Cash and E.C. are citizens of Ireland who had no documentation to be in, pass through, or remain in the US legally.
"Record checks also revealed that Cash had a full extraditable warrant out of Cambridge, Massachusetts," the complaint added.
The incident involving the Irish nationals was one of several that authorities were alerted to that allegedly involved Oshier.
On November 13, authorities executed a search warrant at Oshier’s residence in Massena, New York. During the search, investigators seized items "indicative of alien smuggling," such as a boat trailer, life jackets, a broken boat propeller, and cellular phones.
Investigators also seized approximately 20 grams of a white substance, in pill and powder form, that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Oshier, who was present during the search, was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with investigators without an attorney present in a recorded interview.
According to the complaint, Oshier was told that other individuals who were recently arrested for "smuggling aliens" had indicated that Oshier was responsible for planning the smuggling events.
Oshier said it was not just him and that other individuals were involved in the smuggling as well. He further admitted to having been a part of "multiple alien smuggling events."
The complaint says that Oshier referred to them as "Irish people."
Oshier told investigators he became involved with smuggling aliens approximately one month earlier. An unnamed subject approached him about smuggling aliens; Oshier would not provide the name of the individual.
Oshier told investigators how the smuggling operations worked. He said a separate individual, who the complaint refers to only as "co-conspirator 1," would contact him and other individuals when "when aliens needed to be smuggled into the United States from Canada."
Oshier said that individuals who wanted to be smuggled into the US would contact co-conspirator 1 and, in turn, co-conspirator 1 would contact Oshier or the other un-named co-conspirators to arrange the smulggling.
The complaint notes that Oshier stated he believed some of the "Irish" (aliens) were involved with criminal activity.
Once Osher and other co-onspirators transported the aliens to the US from Canada, the aliens would move to other locations. Oshier stated aliens mostly went to New York City, but also said some aliens were transported to Boston.
Oshier told investigators he would get a call from his 'co-conspirator 1' and "get the boat ready" in preparation. Oshier would ask his 'co-conspirator 1' how many people would be transported and he would then make appropriate arrangements for transport and boat space.
Oshier said he was paid in cash for his role. The foreign nationals would have cash when they were smuggled and would give the cash to other coconspirators. Oshier would receive cash payment after the fact from coconspirators who received the cash from the aliens. Oshier believes other unnamed coconspirators were paid with Venmo, or other similar wire transfer services.
The complaint concludes: "The search warrant executed by investigators included cellular phones as items that were able to be seized. Oshier stated he would show investigators co-conspirator-1's phone number and contact information on WhatsApp. Coconspirator-1 was listed as 'Elevated Roofing and Siding' on WhatsApp in Oshier's phone."
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