A jury convicted two men on Friday of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of illegal immigrants from India who froze trying to cross the Canadian border.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who prosecutors say went by the alias “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated illegal operation that has brought increasing numbers of Indians into the U.S., prosecutors said.
They were each convicted on four counts related to human smuggling, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally.
The most serious counts carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press before the trial. But federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas.
It was made apparent on Friday that various factors will be considered in determining what sentences prosecutors will recommend. […]
— Read More: headlineusa.com
