U.S. Charges Four in Connection With the Assassination of Haiti’s President
Four men detained in Haiti in connection with the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, appeared in a United States court on Wednesday after they were transferred to face criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in the July 7, killing of the Haitian leader.
US authorities said a criminal complaint charges dual Haitian-American citizens James Solages, 37, Joseph Vincent, 57, and Colombian German Alejandro Rivera Garcia, 44, with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support and resources resulting in death, and conspiring to do so, knowing or intending that such support and resources would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap.
In addition, a separate criminal complaint charges dual Haitian-American citizen Christian Sanon, 54, with conspiring to smuggle goods from the United States and cause export information not to be filed, as well as with smuggling goods from the United States and providing unlawful export information.
Solages, Vincent, Rivera and Sanon made their initial federal court appearances in the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes.
US law enforcement authorities have now charged seven individuals, including the four new defendants for their roles in the assassination plot. The other men charged are Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, 43, Rodolphe Jaar, 49, and Joseph Joel John, 51, who were arrested last year.
As alleged in the complaints, Solages, Vincent, Rivera, Sanon and others participated in crimes that culminated in the assassination of the Haitian president at his private residence overlooking the Haitian capital, Port au Prince, His wife, Martine Moïse, survived the assassination and had to be flown to the United States for medical treatment..
The US alleges that in April 2021, Solages, Sanon and others met in South Florida to discuss regime change in Haiti and support for Sanon, an aspiring Haitian political candidate. After that meeting, a list of equipment and weapons needed for the regime change operation was shared with Solages, who then shared it with Sanon.
According to the complaint, items on that list included rifles, machine guns, tear gas, grenades, ammunition, bulletproof vests, and other weapons and equipment.
In May 2021, Sanon contracted for equipment needed to support his “private military” forces in Haiti. His private forces included about 20 Colombians with military training who were recruited to assist in the operation and provide security to Sanon. Rivera led the Colombian group, according to the allegations.
It is also alleged that Sanon conspired with others to ship 20 ballistic vests for use by his private military forces from South Florida to Haiti on June 10, 2021. The vests were shipped without the required export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce and without the required export information filings.
In mid-June 2021, support for President Moïse’s replacement shifted to a former Haitian Supreme Court Judge. That judge signed a document requesting assistance to further the arrest and imprisonment of President Moïse. In addition, a document purportedly signed by that judge claimed to provide immunity in Haiti to those who participated in the operation.
On June 19, 2021, Solages, Vincent, Rivera and others communicated about their plans to arrest President Moïse, detain him and take him away in an airplane to an unknown location. The plan did not go forward when the conspirators failed to obtain the plane and weapons for the operation.
According to the charging documents, on June 28, 2021, Solages traveled from Haiti to South Florida to share with others the documents purportedly signed by the Haitian judge requesting assistance and immunity. Solages flew back to Haiti on July 1, 2021, to participate in the operation against the president.
The US also alleges that on July 6, 2021, Solages, Vincent, Rivera and others met at a house near President Moïse’s residence, where firearms and equipment were distributed and Solages announced that the mission was to kill President Moïse.
According to the allegations on July 7, 2021, several individuals arrived outside President Jovenel Moïse’s residence, some of whom were wearing ballistic vests. They entered the president’s home and killed him, according to the allegations.
Haitian authorities arrested Solages, Vincent, Rivera and Sanon. They were detained in Haiti until their transfer on Tuesday to the United States.
Solages, Vincent and Rivera face up to life imprisonment if convicted. Sanon faces up to 20 years if convicted.
