Men Convicted in Human Smuggling Scheme That Left Family of 4 Dead
Stock
A federal jury has convicted two men on human smuggling charges linked to the deaths of a family of four.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, and Steve Anthony Shand, 50, were each found guilty of four counts related to human trafficking after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court.
Prosecutors said the men were part of a large-scale smuggling operation that moved Indian nationals from Canada into the United States. The operation involved arranging for individuals to travel to Canada on student visas, then smuggling them across the northern border.
Patel, also known as “Dirty Harry,” coordinated the logistics with co-conspirators in Canada, while Shand transported the migrants once they eventually entered the United States.
On Jan. 19, 2022, Shand was arrested near Pembina, N.D., while driving a van carrying several migrants. Shortly after, U.S. Border Patrol agents found five more individuals walking in freezing conditions near the border, including one carrying a backpack belonging to a family of four who had been separated from the group. Temperatures had dropped to -36 degrees Fahrenheit that night.
The separated family, which included two adults and two young children, were later found frozen to death on the Canadian side of the border. The backpack recovered from the group contained children’s clothes, toys, and medication.
“This case underscores the unimaginable cruelty of human smuggling,” U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger said. “These individuals prioritized profit over human lives, resulting in the tragic deaths of an entire family. Justice has been served thanks to the relentless work of law enforcement.”
Shand and Patel face sentencing in the coming months. Federal authorities say the investigation involved efforts from U.S. Border Patrol, HSI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Law enforcement officials continue to urge people to avoid placing their lives in the hands of smugglers. “Anyone who attempts to cross the border illegally under these circumstances is putting themselves and their families at extreme risk,” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Scott Garrett said.
