Four Facing Federal Indictments for Human Smuggling

Four people are facing federal indictments accusing them of conspiring to bring illegal aliens to U.S. soil stemming from a case that began in February.

John Benedict and Angela Johnson pleaded not guilty on Thursday, August 22 in U.S. District Court, Syracuse, to conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States for purposes of commercial advantage and private financial gain. Dariusz Podgajny and Oleh Solomon entered not guilty pleas to transporting aliens into the country. Ian R.E. Tarbell and Mikita Palaukov previously had denied charges of taking part in a conspiracy to bring aliens into the country.

It all started on Feb. 24 when U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a suspicious white Mitsubishi Galant driving around the parking lot at Massena Walmart with no one getting in or out. A white Cadillac Escalade pulled into the lot and parked next to the Galant, with four people exiting and getting in the back of the Galant. An agent followed the vehicle onto Route 420 before halting it.

Palaukov, the driver, and Solomon claimed they were legally in the U.S., although Palaukov allegedly told agents the other four passengers were illegals. Other agents followed the Escalade to a residence in Massena where agents saw Tarbell go inside and later leave in a Chevrolet Silverado headed to North Raquette Road. Agents pulled the vehicle over on O’Neill Road where they say Tarbell admitted he knew he was moving undocumented aliens from St. Regis Village, Que., to Massena and was being paid $450.

Police say an informant allegedly admitted that they were paid to pick up a group of aliens at Benedict’s home in Quebec and bring them to Massena Walmart. Another informant claimed to have been brought across the frozen St. Lawrence River by snowmobile.

Podgajny, a citizen of Poland, is alleged to have picked up the aliens in Toronto and driven them to Cornwall, Ont., where he helped smuggle them into the United States.