The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged alleged Haitian gang leader Vitel’homme Innocent with ordering the 2022 kidnapping of an American husband and wife, which resulted in the wife’s death.
According to the federal indictment, which was unsealed on Tuesday, Mr. Innocent was the leader of a Haitian gang known as the Kraze Barye. The gang is one of several Haitian criminal organizations known to kidnap people for ransom payments.
Mr. Innocent is accused of ordering the Oct. 7, 2022, kidnapping of Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin, two U.S. citizens who lived in Haiti at the time. Armed gang members forced their way into the couple’s home to take them hostage by force, but during the attack one of the gang members shot and killed Marie Odette Franklin. The gang members still proceeded to take the husband hostage and held him for another three weeks, extracting a ransom payment from his family before setting him free on Oct. 28, 2022.
Prosecutors allege Mr. Innocent traveled to the American couple’s home in the days leading up to the kidnapping and thereafter participated in three separate efforts to negotiate the ransom payment for Mr. Franklin’s release.
The charges against Mr. Innocent, which come through the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C., include conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in death, hostage-taking, and attempted hostage-taking resulting in death. If convicted, Mr. Innocent faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and could also face the death penalty.
Mr. Innocent remains at large in Haiti. The DOJ has offered up to $1 million for information leading to his capture.
“The Justice Department is vigorously pursuing those who harm or endanger Americans living in Haiti,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Tuesday.
Gang Leader Helped Kidnap Missionary Group in 2021: DOJ
Last year, the DOJ charged Mr. Innocent in connection with the Oct. 16, 2021, kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries, including 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian national. The missionary group included five children.
Prosecutors alleged Mr. Innocent assisted another Haitian criminal organization, known as the 400 Mawozo gang, which led the effort to kidnap the missionary group. The DOJ named 400 Mawozo gang leaders Lanmo Sanjou and Jermaine Stephenson in last year’s indictment. All three gang leaders were at large at the time of the 2022 indictment and the DOJ was offering rewards of up to $1 million for the capture of any of the three defendants.
The 400 Mawozo managed to extract ransom payments for five of the hostages, but the remaining members of the Christian missionary group managed to escape on Dec. 16, 2021.
Rising Danger in Haiti
Kidnappings and killings are continuing to rise in Haiti. From July 1 to Sept. 30, more than 700 people in Haiti were reported kidnapped, a 244 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the United Nations.
Criminal gangs are reportedly continuing to grow in power and are estimated to control up to 80 percent of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
Gang violence has also exacerbated the political uncertainty in the country following the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The country is currently led by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has faced allegations of participating in the assassination plot.
Haiti has continued to face delays in holding new elections. Last week, gang members allegedly dressed as police kidnapped Anthony Virginie Saint-Pierre, the head of Haiti’s High Transitional Council, which is charged with organizing long-awaited general elections.
Earlier this month, the U.N. Security Council approved a request from Haitian government leaders to form a multinational security force to deploy to assist Haiti’s national police. The multinational security force will be tasked to help secure Haiti’s vital infrastructure and transit points.
The U.S. government continues to warn its citizens to avoid traveling to Haiti. In August, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a “security alert” for Americans to leave the Caribbean country “as soon as possible,” citing the deteriorating security situation.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.