A new U-visa incident has been reported as 47-year-old Birenkumar Rameshbhai Patel, an Indian-origin man in Columbia, pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally obtain a U visa for a store clerk. The clerk has been deported to India, the Justice Department said.A U Visa is a temporary US immigration status that is reserved for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and have been helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. The U Visa provides a path to a Green Card and eventually US citizenship.
Staged robbery at a convenience store
On March 9, 2025, Birenkumar Rameshbhai Patel, also known as “Mike Patel,” and a convenience store clerk staged a robbery at a convenience store in Fairfield County. Law enforcement received a 911 call reporting a robbery.When the authorities arrived at the scene, the clerk attempted to explain the robbery before being transported to the hospital. Patel also arrived at the scene and attempted to explain the robbery.Officers reviewed surveillance video of the event, which appeared to show a robbery, but further review showed that the robbery was staged to make it appear that the store clerk was the victim. Patel acted as the robber and attempted to disguise himself by covering his face and wearing a jacket with long sleeves.On March 25, 2025, Patel and the clerk requested a copy of the incident report as that is a necessary document for the visa application. On April 3, 2025, Patel and/or the clerk mailed a federal certification to the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Department requesting that the head of that department sign a form acknowledging that the clerk was the victim of a “felonious assault.” Officials determined that the store clerk was a citizen of India and that a U Visa would have allowed him to remain in the US legally.Patel faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, the department said. United States District Judge Joseph A. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Patel after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the US Probation Office. The clerk was deported to India, it said.