Grand Forks County (trfnews.i234.me) — In a tragic case that underscores the dangers of human smuggling, Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating a smuggling operation that led to the deaths of a family of four from India. The family, including two young children, froze to death in January 2022 while attempting to cross the US-Canada border near Minnesota during a severe blizzard.
Patel, an Indian national residing in Florida, was found guilty of leading a network that brought Indian nationals into Canada on fraudulent student visas and then smuggled them into the United States. His co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, 50, also from Florida, was sentenced to 6½ years in prison for his role in transporting the migrants after they crossed the border.
The victims, Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife, Vaishaliben, 37; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and their 3-year-old son, Dharmik, were found frozen to death just meters from the US border. They were part of a group of 11 migrants who had been instructed to walk through the night in subzero temperatures to reach a waiting vehicle. Only two members of the group made it to Shand’s van.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick emphasized the callousness of the operation, stating, “These defendants knew it was cold, but they didn’t care.”
Patel is expected to be deported to India after serving his sentence. His attorney has indicated plans to appeal the conviction.
Did you know?
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Name: Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel
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Age: 29
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Residence: Florida, USA
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Charge: Leading a human smuggling operation resulting in death
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Sentence: 10 years in prison
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Co-conspirator: Steve Anthony Shand, 50, sentenced to 6½ years
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Victims: Jagdish Patel (39), Vaishaliben Patel (37), Vihangi Patel (11), Dharmik Patel (3)
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Incident Date: January 19, 2022
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Location: Near the Minnesota-Canada border
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Weather Conditions: Blizzard with wind chills of -36°F (-38°C)
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.