Florida Man Charged In Human Smuggling Case, Arrested In MN

ST. PAUL, MN — A Florida man is facing human smuggling charges after border patrol agents stopped his vehicle and arrested him near the U.S.-Canada border crossing in Lancaster, Minnesota, Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Kovats announced Thursday.

Steve Shand, 47, was arrested Wednesday after border patrol agents stopped a white, 15-passenger van about a mile south of the border in a rural area between Lancaster and Pembina, North Dakota.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice news release, Shand was traveling with two undocumented Indian nationals. Authorities also discovered cases of plastic cups, bottled water, bottled juice, and snacks located in the rear of the van. Authorities also discovered a receipt showing the van had been rented in Shand’s name.

Following Shand's arrest, police encountered five other undocumented Indian nationals walking about a quarter-mile south of the border. The group was heading toward where Shand was arrested, authorities said. The group told police they had been walking for 11 hours and had crossed the border expecting to be picked up by someone, according to court documents.

One of the group members was carrying a backpack that didn't belong to him, he told authorities. He was carrying it for a family of four other undocumented Indian nationals who had been separated from the group overnight. The backpack contained children’s clothes, a diaper, toys, and some children’s medication, authorities said.

Later on Wednesday, Border Patrol received a report from Royal Canadian Mounted Police that four frozen bodies were found in Canada just past the international border, court documents said. The bodies were tentatively identified as the missing family of four.

Two of the surviving group members sustained serious injuries and were taken to the hospital, police said.

Shand is charged with one count of knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien had come to, entered, or remained in the United States in violation of law, having transported, and moved or having attempted to transport and move such aliens.

Shand is in police custody and is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on Monday.