Alien Smuggling: Queens Man Sentenced for Transporting Illegals

A 46-year-old Queens man has been sentenced to time served in a federal alien smuggling case. Harpushpinder Singh, of Richmond Hill, was convicted of transporting two Indian citizens who were in the country illegally.

According to court documents, Singh was arrested on June 12, 2016, and had been incarcerated since then. He was found guilty after a trial in October 2016.

Singh was sentenced to time served, which is 9 months in jail, by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. He will also serve one year of post-imprisonment supervised release.

The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer. U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Chief Patrol Agent John C. Pfeifer, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.

Details of the case state that Singh transported the two Indian citizens from Champlain, New York, until he encountered a Border Patrol immigration checkpoint on Interstate 87 in North Hudson, New York.

The sentence was handed down just over a year after Singh’s conviction. He has been behind bars since his arrest and will now serve out the remainder of his sentence under supervision.

This case highlights the importance of federal law enforcement in combating human trafficking and alien smuggling. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Border Patrol will continue to work together to ensure that those who engage in such crimes are held accountable.

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