Newark, N.J. – The grim tale of two men, Nileshkumar Patel and Harsad Mehta, both from India, ends with a 17-month prison sentence for their dirty work in the human smuggling trade.
Patel, 42, and Mehta, 67, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the federal court of Newark. They admitted to their part in a despicable scheme that ran from June 2013 to October 2015, where they lured Indian nationals into illegal residence in the U.S. for profit.
Their most flagrant act was on July 24, 2014, when they brought two Indians to Bangkok, Thailand, with the intent of sneaking them into the States through Newark. They even paid an undercover officer to facilitate their entry.
Today, Judge William J. Martini handed down a heavy sentence: 17 months in federal prison for Patel and Mehta, followed by three years of supervised release after their release from custody.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s special agents played a pivotal role in bringing the duo to justice, with Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick leading the prosecution efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Navarro of the U.S Attorney’s Office National Security Unit represented the government in this case, ensuring that these criminals faced the full weight of the law.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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