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A man who once called himself the “king” of a notorious Haitian gang and was suspected of kidnapping 16 U.S. citizens was sentenced Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., to 35 years in prison.
Haitian gang leader Germine Joly, better known as “Yonyon,” pleaded guilty in late January to weapons smuggling and money laundering charges related to the October 2021 kidnapping of an American citizen, stalling his trial.
The charges against Joly are part of an ongoing effort by U.S. authorities to stop the smuggling of weapons from the United States into Haiti. Criminal gangs in Haiti, which control 80 percent of the capital and have left more than 580,000 people homeless, continue to ransack communities in an effort to seize more territory. U.S. officials are also trying to crack down on the kidnapping of American citizens in Haiti, who are used to pay ransom for illegal weapons and ammunition.
“We will take tough action against violent Haitian gang leaders who intimidate American citizens to facilitate their criminal activities,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
Jolly, 31, asked the judge for leniency, and his attorney asked for a sentence of no more than 17 1/2 years in prison.
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The leader of one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs
Joly is the co-leader of one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs, the 400 Mawozo, which the United Nations report says is known for crimes including kidnapping, drug and weapons trafficking, murder, rape and armed robbery.
“The 400 Mawozo gang not only sows chaos in its own communities, but also targets innocent Americans living and traveling in Haiti,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.
The UN report states that in 2021, three shipments of smuggled weapons and ammunition arrived in Haiti, shortly before the gang kidnapped 17 missionaries, including 16 U.S. citizens.
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The group included 16 Americans and one Canadian who worked for Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. The group said 12 of the captive missionaries had escaped and five others had been released previously, but it was unclear whether a ransom was paid.
“This case alone demonstrates that 400 Mavozos were able to raise large amounts of money to purchase guns and ammunition,” the report states.
In 2022, the US government extradited Jolly.
Jolly’s ex-girlfriend, Eliande Tunis of Pompano Beach, Fla., was sentenced earlier this month to 12 1/2 years in prison. Tunis, 46, pleaded guilty in late January to the same charges Jolly faced.
Jolly also faces separate charges in another case related to the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen.
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