Singh

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In June 2005, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) received information from a confidential source regarding a Canada-based organization that was smuggling aliens into the United States from Canada. ICE launched an investigation and also contacted members of the Royal Cana- dian Mounted Police (“RCMP”). The RCMP began its own investigation and learned from recorded telephone conversa- tions that Kavel Multani, among others, was involved in human trafficking. Singh, a taxi driver living in Washington, was recorded as a participant in some of those conversations.

A grand jury returned a 23-count indictment against Mul- tani, Singh and a number of co-defendants. Singh was charged and convicted on five counts, but only Count 10— Bringing an Illegal Alien into the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) and 18 U.S.C. § 2—is at issue here. Count 10 alleged:

During January 2006, and continuing through on or about January 26, 2006, within the Western District of Washington and elsewhere, KAVEL MULTANI a/k/a YGURU, NIZAR SABAZ-ALI, HAR- MINDER SINGH a/k/a NICK, and other persons, in knowing and reckless disregard of the…