Man charged with human smuggling freed on bond in U.S.

A Florida man charged for his role in a humansmuggling scheme that turned deadly at the Canada-U. S. border will be allowed to go home to await trial.

Steve Shand, 47, waived his right to a preliminary hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Hildy Bowbeer agreed to release him from a North Dakota detention centre. He faces human-smuggling charges after he was arrested near the border last week behind the wheel of a rented passenger van, not far from where a family of four, which included an infant, was found frozen to death in the snow on the Canadian side.

Shand, clad in orange prison garb and a black face mask, said little throughout the virtual hearing beyond “Yes, your Honour” and “Yes, ma’am” in response to Bowbeer’s questions.

Shand was released on an appearance bond, meaning that while he must abide by a number of release conditions, he will be required to make his own way back to Minnesota for any in-person court hearings.

“Sometimes we do it by Zoom and sometimes we may be doing it in person, but however it is that a court hearing happens in this case, you’re going to have to show up for it,” Bowbeer said.

“The fact that you’re living in Florida is not going to be an excuse for not showing up in Minnesota.”

He will also be required to surrender his passport and other related travel documents, submit to a mental-health assessment and remain in his home district in Florida except for court hearings.

He is also forbidden from possessing any weapons and from having any contact with any witnesses or others associated with the case, and will be expected to abide by the law, Bowbeer said.