Sentencing for men convicted of human smuggling pushed back to May 28 [Video]

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The sentencing for both Harshkumar Patel and Steve Shand that was scheduled for May 7, has been pushed back to May 28.

Both men were convicted back in November, when a jury found both men guilty in less than two hours on four counts related to human smuggling. The case is tied to the Patel family from India, no relation to Harshkumar, who were found frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba in 2022. The family was walking in blizzard conditions, and wind chills were in the -36 degree range.

Lawyers for both Patel and Shand had filed for new trials at the beginning of the year. In February, a federal judge denied the requests, stating that there was enough evidence to find both men guilty on all four counts.

Newly filed court documents show that Steve Shand filed a Motion to Request Travel Authorization. Shand is currently living in Deltona, Florida, and is financially unable …