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A man described by federal prosecutors as a Haitian gang leader was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for his role in orchestrating the 2021 hostage-taking of 16 American citizens, including five children.
Joly Germine, 34, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was also ordered by the court to pay a fine of $1,700.
The Justice Department said the victims were part of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, and were on their way back from working at an orphanage when they were taken hostage in Oct. 2021.
“The missionary group included 12 adults and five young children, including a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and an 8-month-old. Sixteen of the victims were U.S. citizens from Christian Aid Ministries,” said D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “This sentencing makes clear that Germine’s scheme to win freedom for himself by using Christians as pawns backfired.”
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Police stop at a car to inspect in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Prosecutors said in a court filing that Germine led the violent Haitian gang “400 Mawozo” while in prison, directing the group’s operations using unmonitored cell phones – allegations he and his attorneys denied.
Germine allegedly was in constant touch with other 400 Mawozo leaders, most of whom were his relatives, and wanted to secure his release from prison in exchange for the hostages. Most of them were held at gunpoint for 62 days until they escaped.
The Haitian government transferred Germine from a Haitian jail into U.S. custody in May 2022 after an arrest warrant was issued.
An inmate’s uniform hangs on barbed wire at Croix-des-Bouquets prison after a mass escape and fatal violence near Port-au-Prince on Feb. 25, 2021. (Reginald Louissaint Jr/AFP via Getty Images)
“This case shows that the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to track down anyone who kidnaps a U.S. citizen abroad,” said then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland at the time. “We will utilize the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to hold accountable anyone responsible for undermining the safety of Americans anywhere in the world.”
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Germine was sentenced last year to 35 years in federal prison for his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy that involved smuggling firearms to Haiti and for laundering ransom money collected by the gang.
Kenyan police stand guard outside the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on July 5, 2024, as armed gangs continue to cause unrest in nearby areas. (Guerinault Louis/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Ray Noecker, whose wife Cheryl and five children were held hostage, said during sentencing that the ordeal was a “life-changing experience” for his family. He told Germine he hopes he finds “God’s peace.”
“True freedom is not found outside of prison walls. True freedom is found inside your own heart,” Noecker said.