An Indian national who survived a treacherous trek across the U.S.-Canada border in blizzard conditions testified Wednesday that he got separated from a family of four shortly before they froze to death.
Yash Patel took the stand on the third day of the trial of Indian national Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel , 29, and Steve Shand , 50, of Florida.
Prosecutors say they put financial profit over human life when they attempted to smuggle Indian migrants across the border into Minnesota over a five-week period in December 2021 and January 2022. They say Patel ran part of the smuggling scheme and recruited Shand as a driver. Both men have pleaded not guilty to four counts related to human smuggling.
Federal prosecutors say a family of four - 39-year-old Jagdish Patel his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi and 3-year-old son, Dharmik - froze to death Jan. 19, 2022. Patel is a common Indian surname and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel or Yash Patel.
Yash Patel, 23, testified through an interpreter that he got separated from the Patel family and walked alone for five or six hours until he found a van waiting for him, The Canadian Press reported . Prosecutors say that van was driven by Steve Shand.
