A former Haitian mayor has been sentenced to nine years in a U.S. federal prison after being convicted of immigration fraud for concealing his involvement in a violent campaign of political persecution in Haiti.
Jean Morose Viliena, 53, was sentenced on Thursday by Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor in Boston. In March, a jury found him guilty of fraudulently obtaining a U.S. green card by lying about his role in ordering and committing acts of political violence, including killings, torture, and brutal attacks against his opponents.
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Prosecutors described the case as “the most egregious type of immigration fraud,” urging the court to impose a maximum 10-year sentence to deliver justice for the victims and their families, many of whom continue to suffer the effects of Viliena’s past actions.
Viliena, who had been living in Malden, Massachusetts, and working as a truck driver at the time of his indictment, has denied the charges and plans to appeal the conviction. His attorney, Jason Benzaken, argued that the sentence was “heavier than was called for under the guidelines.”
The case stemmed from Viliena’s 2008 visa application, where he falsely declared that he had never ordered or participated in extrajudicial killings or acts of political violence. Prosecutors revealed that shortly after becoming mayor of Les Irois, a rural town in Haiti, in December 2006, Viliena led or sanctioned violent campaigns against his political adversaries.
Among his victims were David Boniface, Juders Yseme, and Nissage Martyr, who later brought a civil lawsuit against Viliena under the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). The 2017 civil suit, which provided a rare legal pathway for holding foreign officials accountable in U.S. courts, resulted in a $15.5 million judgment against Viliena in 2023.
According to court evidence, in 2007, Viliena led armed men to Boniface’s home, where they beat and fatally shot Boniface’s brother. In 2008, he allegedly mobilized another group to violently attack Yseme and Martyr at a community radio station, beating them and shooting them both. Prosecutors said these attacks were part of a deliberate effort to silence political opposition.
Viliena’s criminal charges followed the civil trial’s conclusion and focused on his deception during the immigration process, which allowed him to reside in the United States despite his history of political persecution in Haiti.
The ruling marks a significant moment in the use of U.S. immigration and human rights law to pursue accountability for alleged perpetrators of political violence abroad, especially when victims have limited access to justice in their home countries.
