Men accused of deadly human smuggling found guilty

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (Valley News Live) – A federal judge in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, has reached a verdict in a deadly human smuggling case.

Our Valley News Live courtroom reporter reports that the jury of 7 men and 5 women began deliberating around 11:00 a.m. and returned with a decision about an hour later.

“This trial has exposed the unimaginable cruelty of human smuggling and those criminal organizations that value profit and greed above humanity,” said Andy Lugar, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota.

Prosecutors say Harshkumar Patel, 29, an Indian citizen, and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a complex illegal operation that was bringing more Indians to the United States. They were each convicted on four counts of human smuggling, including conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the country for commercial or financial gain.

“In order to make a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extreme danger, resulting in the horrific and tragic death of an entire family. Because of this unimaginable greed, a father, mother and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures on the Canadian border in Minnesota,” Lugar said.

Prosecutors say the family of four – a husband, wife, their 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son – died on Jan. 19, 2022, after spending hours in snowy conditions with wind temperatures reaching minus 36 degrees.

“This is a call to action for all of us to step up our efforts and ensure that no family faces such a devastating fate,” said Homeland Security Special Agent Jamie Holt.

While it took some time to gather evidence and build a complex case, Lugar says the quick verdict shows how strong the evidence was against the two men.

“When jurors deliberate for two hours or less, it is a sign that the evidence is overwhelming. It is clear that this is exactly what happened,” Lugar said.

The sentencing date is set for March 31, 2025.