Dual US-Canada Citizen Arrested in Deadly St. Lawrence River Human Smuggling Case

Timothy Oakes, a 34-year-old dual U.S.-Canadian citizen from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation, was arrested in June 2025 for his role in a deadly human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of a Romanian family of four, including two toddlers, and Oakes’ brother. Oakes and his co-conspirators, who have pleaded guilty, smuggled migrants across the St. Lawrence River into northern New York by boat, charging $1,000 per person. In March 2023, Oakes housed the Romanian family before transporting them, but the boat capsized in dangerous weather conditions, killing the family and his brother. He faces multiple charges, including conspiracy, alien smuggling for profit, and alien smuggling leading to death. U.S. authorities highlighted the reckless disregard for human life by the smugglers, emphasizing the tragic consequences of illegal border crossings. Oakes remains in federal custody following a court hearing in New York.