United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ALBANY, N.Y. - Colin Stewart, age 41, of Elgin, Quebec, Canada, was sentenced today to 135 months in prison for conspiring to smuggle thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States from Canada through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation.  

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the New York Division.

Following his extradition from Canada, Stewart admitted that he and his co-conspirators smuggled thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States for distribution throughout the northeastern United States. Stewart admitted to organizing the smuggling, paying co-conspirators, and personally transporting thousands of pounds of marijuana across the St. Lawrence River from Canada into the United States.

Chief U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Stewart to serve five years of post-imprisonment supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine.

The investigation and prosecution of Stewart was the result of a joint investigation by the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the New York State Police, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Services, and the District Attorneys of Franklin and Clinton Counties.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Kopita, and Douglas G. Collyer.