FLORIDA, (CMC) – A United States District Judge sentenced two Trinidad and Tobago nationals to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to smuggle goods from the country.
US Judge Steven D Merryday charged 30-year-old Tevin OBrian Oliver and 31-year-old Jameal Kaia Phillip.
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Both men agreed to forfeit various firearms, ammunition and related items, which facilitated the offenses. The two men pleaded guilty to the offences on April 11.
According to their plea agreements, Oliver and Phillip were part of a ring that unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components, including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022.
The firearms, which included pistols and long rifles and related equipment, were concealed within boxing/fight equipment, speakers, and other household items to avoid detection by law enforcement and customs authorities.
The conspirators also acquired firearms from different sellers through straw purchases, falsely representing the identities of the actual purchasers and recipients of the firearms as well as their ultimate destination.
The court heard that on or about April 7, 2021, Oliver shipped a package concealing and containing various firearms and related equipment, including a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, a SAR Arms SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, and a Ruger Security-9 9mm pistol, from Miami, Florida to Trinidad and Tobago.
Authorities in Trinidad seized those firearms and other related items that had been concealed in the shipment at Piarco International Airport on or about April 22, 2021.
“Dismantling this illicit weapons trafficking network makes a significant impact toward lowering crime and gun violence in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt.
“These sentences demonstrate the commitment of HSI alongside our federal and Caribbean nation partners and the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, to be steadfast in investigating and shutting down illegal firearms smuggling from the US,” he added.
The case was investigated by HSI including HSI’s Attaché (Caribbean) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Caribbean country, Ministry of National Security and T&T Police Service as well as US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, US Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs were also involved in the investigation.
“This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach,” the US authorities said.
