Friday, Samson Jolibois, a haitian aged 47, from Port-au-Prince, was sentenced by U.S. justice to 192 months in prison, followed by three of supervised release for conspiring to commit hostage taking. Jolibois was also ordered to pay over $32,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Jolibois, who plead guilty on February 27, 2015, was part of a criminal group that kidnapped and held hostage two U.S. citizens in the area of Carrefour, Haiti. The group targeted U.S citizens of Haitian descent who had returned to visit Haiti, because they believed these individuals to be from wealthy families. During two separate events, members of the criminal group took victims at gunpoint from outside their residences and held the victims hostage for several days while seeking ransom money from their families in exchange for the victims’ release.

Both women kidnapped by Jolibois were naturalized U.S. citizens of Haitian descent who were visiting family. In one case, the woman's family paid a $20,000 ransom. In the other, Haitian police rescued the hostage after three days of captivity.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary prosecuted the case.

SL/ HaitiLibre