Defendants found guilty in deadly human trafficking case

FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota (Valley News Live) – A verdict has been reached in the deadly human trafficking case in Federal Court in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Our Valley News Live reporter in the courtroom said the jury of 7 men and 5 women began deliberating around 11 a.m. and returned with a verdict about an hour later.

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

Harshkumar Patel, 29, an Indian citizen, and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated, illegal operation that brought growing numbers of Indians to the United States, prosecutors said. They were each convicted of four crimes related to human trafficking, including conspiring to smuggle immigrants into the country illegally and for commercial or financial gain.

“To make a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extraordinary danger, resulting in the horrific and tragic deaths of entire families. “Because of this unconscionable greed, a father, a mother, and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures at the Minnesota Canadian border,” Lugar said.

Prosecutors say the family of four — a husband, wife, 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son — died on Jan. 19, 2022, after wandering for hours in blizzard conditions with temperatures as high as minus 36 degrees.

“This is a call to action for all of us to strengthen our efforts and ensure no family ever has to endure such a devastating fate,” said Homeland Security Special Agent Jamie Holt.

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

“When the jury deliberates for two hours or less, that’s an indication that the evidence is so strong that it’s pretty clear that’s what happened here,” Lugar said.

The final date of the sentence is planned to be 31 March 2025.

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