Monclaire Saint Louis, Hostage Taking, Virginia 2012

Two Haitian nationals, Monclaire Saint Louis and Ulriste Tulin, have been sentenced to 20 years in prison for their roles in a brazen hostage-taking scheme that left two United States citizens shaken.

Saint Louis, 29, and Tulin, 40, both from Carrefour, Haiti, were found guilty after a jury trial on Dec. 16, 2016, for conspiracy to commit hostage taking, hostage taking and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to the evidence presented at trial, the pair specifically targeted victims they believed had money and would pay a ransom. The first victim, a 68-year-old woman, was abducted on June 2, 2012, and held for eight days before managing to escape. The second victim was abducted on July 9, 2012, and held for four days before being rescued by Haitian law enforcement authorities.

A third co-conspirator, Samson Jolibois, pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2015, to his role in the abductions and testified at trial. Multiple Haitian law enforcement officers traveled to the United States to testify at the trial.

The pair used multiple firearms to abduct each woman from their respective family homes. Saint Louis and Tulin were ordered to pay $49,000 in restitution to their victims, and will be removed from the United States upon release from prison.

The sentencing was announced by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady after a hearing in the Eastern District of Virginia. Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, praised the bravery of the victims and the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-173.

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