Grimy Times Exclusive: Johnson Andre, aka ‘Izo,’ a notorious Haitian gang leader, has been charged with the hostage taking of a U.S. citizen in Haiti in March 2023.
According to the affidavit, Andre, leader of the 5 Segond gang, issued a general order to his gang members to identify potential victims and kidnap them for ransom. On March 18, 2023, armed gang members forced the victim into a vehicle at gunpoint and took him to Village de Dieu, where he was held captive for nine days.
The victim was beaten and burned with hot plastic, and Andre personally visited the victim in captivity to engage in ransom negotiations with the victim’s family. The victim was eventually released following a ransom payment and other items of value.
Andre remains at large and is believed to reside in Village de Dieu, Haiti. He was previously sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on December 8, 2023, for his role in serious human rights abuses.
U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Miami Field Office announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Haiti, with assistance from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.
If convicted, Andre faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts.
Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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