A Florida man and an Indian national have been found guilty of human smuggling charges related to a tragic incident where a family of four Indian migrants froze to death while attempting to cross the US-Canada border during a blizzard in 2022.
Steve Shand, 50, of Florida, and Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national known as “Dirty Harry,” were convicted by a jury in Minnesota for their roles in the sophisticated smuggling ring that brought Indian migrants into the United States.
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The victims, Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife, Vaishaliben; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and their 3-year-old son, Dharmik, perished in the freezing temperatures on January 19, 2022, while trying to cross into Minnesota from Canada.
Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial indicating that Shand acted as a driver, responsible for picking up the migrants on the U.S. side of the border. Patel coordinated the operation.
Of the 11 migrants Shand was supposed to pick up, only seven survived the treacherous journey. Canadian authorities discovered the bodies of the Patel family the following morning.
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The trial featured testimony from a survivor of the crossing, an alleged participant in the smuggling ring, border patrol agents, and forensic experts. Defense attorneys for Shand argued that he was unknowingly involved in the scheme, while Patel’s lawyers claimed mistaken identity.
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