Overview:
Former Haitian police officer Jean-Robert Casimir smuggled firearms to Haiti, with proof linking them to gangs, U.S. officers say. He was arrested on Dec. 18 by federal brokers and is about to face U.S. courts and heavy penalties.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Former Haitian Nationwide Police (PNH) officer and United States citizen Jean Robert Casimir, 52, was arrested by U.S. authorities on Dec. 18 and charged with smuggling firearms to Haiti. Casimir allegedly bought a minimum of 87 firearms of varied caliber between October 2021 and Might 2024, a few of which ended up within the palms of Haitian gangs.
A criminal complaint filed in December by Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) with the District Courtroom of Columbia outlines Casimir’s violations, together with smuggling, conspiracy, and breaching the Export Management Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA).
“The details on this affidavit are primarily based on my private observations, coaching, and expertise, in addition to info obtained from different brokers, witnesses, and companies, significantly the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” Evan Ratcliff, Particular Agent of HSI, wrote within the complaint published this month.
“This affidavit is meant solely to reveal that there’s possible trigger enough to justify the requested warrant. It doesn’t current the complete scope of my information, nor that of others, regarding this case,” Ratcliff added.
Casimir confirmed delivering firearms illegally to Haiti, in line with investigators
On Aug. 7, 2024, Casimir was flagged for extra screening at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport in Florida. Throughout a voluntary interview with HSI, the previous police officer admitted to smuggling firearms to Haiti 4 or 5 instances. He described packing the firearms in packing containers for transport by way of boat from Miami to Miragoâne, a southwest seaport lower than 80 miles from Port-au-Prince, the place associates retrieved them for supply to his unnamed safety firm within the Haitian capital.
“This affidavit is meant solely to reveal that there’s possible trigger enough to justify the requested warrant. It doesn’t current the complete scope of my information, nor that of others, regarding this case.”
Evan Ratcliff, Agent spécial de Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI).
Casimir acknowledged realizing the illegality of his actions however claimed some firearms ended up with gangs after considered one of his staff was attacked whereas transporting them. Casimir was additionally a member of the bodily safety employees for the PNH chief. In the course of the interview with U.S. legislation enforcement brokers, he revealed that he offered armed safety providers in Haiti, the place he recruited off-duty Haitian cops for defense roles.
Search warrant reveals incriminating proof and contractions in Casimir’s statements
Casimir advised investigators he had bought solely 4 firearms in 2024. Nevertheless, data from a U.S. firearm seller revealed he accomplished a minimum of 30 firearm transaction types (FTRs), buying 87 weapons, together with rifles and handguns. On every type, he listed his deal with in Lauderhill, Florida, signed it, and answered “Sure” to the query: “Are you the precise purchaser of all of the firearms listed on this manner and on any continuation sheets?”
“A number of firearms have been stolen by the gang through the theft,” Casimir advised investigators.
The transaction types clearly warned consumers about penalties for unauthorized exports, stating: “Any one that exports a firearm with out correct authorization…is topic to a wonderful of as much as $1,000,000 and imprisonment for as much as 20 years.”
Moreover, Casimir said that he solely saved a handgun at residence and saved an extra AR-15 rifle at a cousin’s home. Concerning his buy of two AR-15s in October 2023, he defined that instantly after shopping for the firearms, he took them to a good friend’s home and by no means retrieved them after the good friend died in a bike accident in Florida. Nevertheless, Particular Agent Ratcliff notes that Casimir admitted he supposed to smuggle the firearms to Haiti if they’d not been misplaced.
“These data instantly contradict Casimir’s declare that he bought solely 4 firearms,” mentioned Ratcliff.
On Oct. 1, 2024, Federal Choose Zia M. Faruqui authorized a search warrant for Casimir’s telephones. Investigators discovered quite a few pictures of firearms and textual content conversations about their sale, confirming his involvement in unlawful arms trafficking.
Proof collected consists of movies, pictures, and messages associated to buying firearms within the U.S. and promoting them in Haiti.
Smuggling operations linked to gangs
Investigators started uncovering arms trafficking to Haiti in November 2022. Utilizing the ATF’s eTrace system, they linked a number of smuggled firearms to Casimir, together with two Radical Firearms rifles he bought in October 2023 from a federally licensed firearms seller close to West Palm Seaside, Florida.
U.S. authorities concluded that, between August 2020 and the current, Casimir and his accomplices engaged in intensive smuggling operations, violating a number of U.S. legal guidelines.
Casimir’s actions underscore the risks of arms trafficking in fueling gang violence in Haiti. Because the case proceeds in U.S. courts, officers hope the prosecution will ship a robust message in opposition to the unlawful export of firearms that has been detrimental to Haiti’s safety.