A family of four, including two young children, froze to death in a brutal -36°F blizzard while attempting to cross the US-Canada border—victims of human traffickers who prioritized profits over human lives.
Key Takeaways
- Harshkumar “Dirty Harry” Patel received a 10-year prison sentence and Steve Shand received 6.5 years for human trafficking that led to the deaths of an Indian family of four, including children aged 3 and 11.
- The victims were part of a group of 11 migrants attempting to illegally cross from Canada to Minnesota during a blizzard with -36°F wind chill.
- The smuggling operation charged migrants up to $100,000 for passage from India to the US using fake student visas.
- The father died trying to protect his son from the cold, while the mother died against a fence; both children were inadequately dressed for the harsh weather.
- The case highlights the growing crisis of human trafficking at America’s borders, with one smuggler testifying to bringing over 500 Indian migrants into the country.
Deadly Consequence of Border Trafficking
The horrific deaths of Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, their 11-year-old daughter Vihangi, and 3-year-old son Dharmik from Dingucha, Gujarat, India, have brought much-needed attention to the dangerous human trafficking operations occurring at our northern border. The family perished in January 2022 while attempting to illegally enter Minnesota from Canada during a severe blizzard. Their tragic end came as they were abandoned in freezing temperatures that reached a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, wearing clothing completely inadequate for the harsh winter conditions. The heartbreaking details revealed in court showed that the father died attempting to shield his young son from the biting cold.
“The crime in many respects is extraordinary because it did result in the unimaginable death of four individuals, including two children. These were deaths that were clearly avoidable,” said U.S. District Judge John Tunheim.
Justice Served to Traffickers
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, nicknamed “Dirty Harry,” was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role as the ringleader of this international human smuggling operation. His co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, who served as the driver, received a 6.5-year sentence with two years of supervised release upon completion. Federal prosecutors had initially sought harsher sentences—nearly 20 years for Patel and nearly 11 years for Shand—underscoring the severity of their crimes. Both men were convicted on four counts each, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the United States illegally, following a trial in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
“We should make no mistake, it was the defendant’s greed that set in motion the facts that bring us here today,” said acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick.
Despite overwhelming evidence, Patel continues to deny his guilt and role as “Dirty Harry” in the operation. Prosecutor Michael McBride highlighted this lack of remorse during sentencing: “Mr. Patel has never shown an ounce of remorse. Even today, he continues to deny he is the ‘Dirty Harry’ that worked with Mr. Shand on this smuggling venture — despite substantial evidence to the contrary and counsel for his co-defendant identifying him as such at trial.” Patel is expected to be deported to India after serving his sentence, bringing at least some closure to this tragic case.
The Brutal Business of Human Smuggling
The investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, revealed the shocking scale and callous nature of this smuggling operation. Migrants were charged up to $100,000 for passage from India to the United States through Canada, using fake student visas as part of the scheme. The family that perished was among a group of 11 Indians attempting to cross the border that night. Seven others survived the journey, though only two managed to reach Shand’s van, which had become stuck in the snow. When apprehended, Shand initially denied that others were stranded in the blizzard, but five additional migrants were later discovered, with one suffering from severe hypothermia.
“The callous disregard for life that led to the tragic deaths of an entire family will not be forgotten,” said Jamie Holt.
Court testimony from another smuggler involved in similar operations revealed the enormous profits being made from human trafficking. This individual admitted to earning over $400,000 by smuggling more than 500 Indian migrants into the United States. These migrants often end up working low-wage jobs for years to pay off the enormous debts incurred for their passage. The case exposes how President Trump’s administration must continue strengthening border enforcement not just at our southern border but at all points of entry, as criminal organizations exploit desperate people seeking a better life, treating them as commodities rather than human beings.
