More than three years after a family of four from India tragically froze to death while attempting to cross the US-Canada border, a key figure in the human smuggling operation that led to their deaths has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, identified as the ringleader of the smuggling plot, received the sentence in Minnesota on Wednesday.

The heartbreaking incident occurred in January 2022, when the Patel family – 39-year-old Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, their 11-year-old daughter Vihangi, and their 3-year-old son Dharmik – perished in a blizzard while trying to enter the United States from Canada. Their bodies were discovered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police just north of the Manitoba-Minnesota boundary. Prosecutor Michael McBride recounted the grim details, noting that Jagdish Patel died trying to shield his son's face from the harsh wind with a frozen glove.

Federal prosecutors had sought a significantly longer sentence for Patel, recommending nearly 20 years. They argued that Patel, driven by greed, exploited the migrants' hopes for a better life in America. Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick emphasized that Patel's greed set in motion the tragic events that led to the family's deaths.

U.S. District Judge John Tunheim, who presided over the case, acknowledged the extraordinary nature of the crime, stating that it resulted in the "unimaginable death of four individuals, including two children," deaths that were "clearly avoidable."

Patel's defense attorney, Thomas Leinenweber, argued for a more lenient sentence, claiming that Patel was merely a "low man on the totem pole" and maintained his innocence. He requested a sentence of time served, which amounted to 18 months. Patel himself declined to address the court and showed no visible emotion as the sentence was issued. Following his prison term, he is expected to be deported to India.

Another individual involved in the smuggling operation, Steve Anthony Shand, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, along with two years of supervised release. Shand was the driver who was supposed to pick up the Patel family near the border. Prosecutors had recommended nearly 11 years for Shand. Judge Tunheim ordered Shand to report to prison on July 1 and agreed to recommend that he serve his sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, to be closer to his family.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed a disturbing text message exchange between Shand and Patel as the family was wandering in the blizzard. Shand texted Patel, "We not losing any money." According to prosecutor McBride, Shand, upon being apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol, denied that others were out in the snow, leaving them to freeze without assistance.

The case highlighted the complex and often dangerous nature of human smuggling operations, where profits are prioritized over the safety and well-being of migrants. The incident drew attention to the increasing numbers of Indian migrants attempting to enter the U.S. illegally, driven by factors such as political repression and a dysfunctional American immigration system.