Two men charged for trafficking firearms from US to Dominica
Published:Thursday | September 12, 2024 | 10:00 AM
CONNECTICUT, CMC – A Dominican national is among two men charged with offences stemming from the illegal trafficking and export of firearms and firearm components from the United States to the Caribbean island.
A federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a nine-count indictment charging 29-year-old Davidson Alexander, also known as Harley, the Dominican national, residing in Suffolk, Virginia, and Neilcon St Louis, 39, of Waterbury, Connecticut, with the offences.
The indictment was returned on September 5 and unsealed this week after St. Louis and Alexander were arrested.
The indictment alleges that from at least January 2021 through September 2024, St Louis, Alexander, and others, including a resident of Dominica, conspired to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a licence, and to export firearms, firearm components, and ammunition from the US to Dominica without authorisation from the US Department of Commerce, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act.
St Louis, Alexander, and the Dominica resident purchased numerous firearm components from sellers on eBay, which were then mailed to their relatives and acquaintances in the US.
St Louis and Alexander obtained the purchased firearm components and then smuggled them, by mailing, or by directing the mailing of, parcels containing them, as well as firearms and ammunition, directly to co-conspirators in Dominica, or to a Miami-based freight forwarding company that then shipped the parcels to co-conspirators in Dominica.
The indictment charges St Louis and Alexander with one count of conspiracy, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and one count of conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also charges St Louis with five counts and Alexander with four counts of violating the Export Control Reform Act, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and St Louis with two counts and Alexander with one count of smuggling goods from the US, and offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.
Following their arrests, St Louis and Alexander appeared in New Haven and Norfolk, Virginia, respectively, and were released pending trial.
US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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