P-au-P., February 29, 2024 [AlterPresse] — A Haitian citizen residing in Orlando, Florida, Jocelyn Dor, aged 31, was sentenced, on Wednesday February 28, 2024, to 60 months (5 years) in prison, for trafficking firearms from from the United States to Haiti, by Judge John D. Bates of the United States District Court, indicates the Embassy of the United States of America in Haiti, in a press release seen by the online agency AlterPress.
Jocelyn Dor was convicted “for having participated in a very sophisticated smuggling scheme, which made it possible to export or attempted to export at least 24 firearms from the United States to Haiti, as well as hundreds of munitions,” specifies the American embassy in Haiti. .
Jocelyn Dor illegally supplied firearms from the United States to a violent Haitian gang called 400 Marozowho kidnapped 17 American and Canadian missionaries, on Saturday October 16, 2021, on the road to Ganthier (municipality northeast of Port-au-Prince).
Along with the prison term, Dor was also sentenced to three years of parole, according to the verdict of Judge John D. Bates.
“Dor pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023, to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, violation of the Export Control Reform Act, and money laundering to promote illegal activity specific,” recalls the press release.
Dor accused of being affiliated with the criminal organization 400 Marozo
From September 18, 2021 to October 17, 2021, Jocelyn Dor, as straw buyer (secret agent) for 400 Marozopurchased 10 high-powered semi-automatic rifles from Orlando area gun stores, on the instructions of Germine Joly, for the express purpose of shipping these weapons to the leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti.
Germine Joly, nicknamed Yonyon, 29 years old, as well as two other Haitian nationals and an American were formally accused, on May 4, 2022, by the American justice system, of having participated in a criminal conspiracy, aimed at violating American export laws, by smuggling weapons fire and ammunition to Haiti.
In addition to Yonyon, the indictment was also issued to Eliande Tunis, 43 (as of 2022), U.S. citizen, of Pompano Beach, Florida; Jocelyn Dor, 29, Haitian citizen residing in Orlando, Florida, and Walder St. Louis, 33, Haitian citizen residing in Miami.
“Rifles were intended for combat. One of the weapons, a 50 caliber Barrett rifle, is primarily used by the military against heavy machinery. Dor falsely represented to arms sellers that he was the ‘real purchaser’ of these weapons,” the US embassy statement said.
Dor also received multiple transfers of thousands of US dollars from his accomplices to ensure payment.
He was originally charged in a May 2022 indictment.
Germine Joly, also known as Yonyon, (31), a Haitian national, and Eliande Tunis, (45), a US citizen from Pompano Beach, Florida were named as co-defendants.
Considered the “king” of the gang 400 MarozoGermine Joly directed operations from a Haitian prison, using uncontrolled cell phones.
Detained in the United States, Germine Joly pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024, for his role in the arms trafficking conspiracy, which allowed firearms to be transported to Haiti, in violation of U.S. export laws, as well as for the laundering of ransoms paid for the gang’s American hostages in 2021.
Germine Joly faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, when he is sentenced on May 15, 2024.
Eliande Tunis, the former partner of Germine Joly, pleaded guilty the day before the trial, January 17, 2024.
She also faces a maximum prison sentence, when she is sentenced on May 8, 2024.
A federal district court judge is expected to determine his sentence, after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Several Americans kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang
From January 12, 2020, the gang 400 Marozowhich operates in Croix-des-Bouquets, northeast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has carried out armed kidnappings of American citizens in Haiti for ransoms.
After claiming responsibility for the kidnapping, in October 2021, of 16 American citizens, including five children, and a Canadian citizen, who were part of a missionary organization visiting an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, the gang 400 Marozo demanded a $1 million ransom for each hostage.
The hostages were able to regain their freedom around December 16, 2021.
Two American citizens were taken hostage in June 2021 by the gang 400 Marozothen released after the payment of a ransom of 25,000 dollars.
In August 2023, the gang took another American citizen hostage and released her after receiving a $50,000 ransom. [emb rc apr 29/02/2024 10:15]
