A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment charging Jeremy Christoph Rolle, 26, of the Bahamas, with felony offenses related to a maritime smuggling event.
According to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint affidavit, Rolle operated a 26-foot motorboat that carried himself and 16 migrants from Bimini, Bahamas to Florida on June 17, 2021.
A Broward County Sherriff’s Office Deputy on marine patrol encountered Rolle piloting the vessel near the Hillsboro Inlet in Hillsboro Beach, Florida. Rolle led law enforcement on a pursuit through the Intracoastal Waterway that ended after Rolle crashed the vessel with several migrants still on board into a seawall in Pompano Beach, say the court documents.
The indictment charges Rolle in sixteen counts with:
- Encouraging or inducing migrants to enter the United States
- Placing in jeopardy the life of a migrant during that offense
Rolle faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as to each count if convicted.
Rolle is also charged in two counts with aiding or assisting inadmissible migrants convicted of an aggravated felony to enter the United States, for which he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison as to each count if convicted.
Andrew Devaunx, 54, of the Bahamas, and Marvin Morris Carridice, 42, of Jamaica, both passengers on the boat, are each charged in one count with illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed for aggravated felony convictions.
If convicted, they each face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Payam Hassanzadeh Zargar, 27, of the United Kingdom, a passenger on the boat, is charged in one count with illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed, for which he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 2 years in prison if convicted.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Customs and Immigrations Enforcement, and the Broward County Sherriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Snider is prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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