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US court charges Haitian gang leader in attack on American couple

October 25th, 2023 | Tags:
A U.S. court has charged Haitian gang leader Vitel’homme Innocent for his role in the plot to kidnap an American couple and the death of the wife who was shot dead when armed men entered their home. Photo: Internet Source
REUTERS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A U.S. court has charged Haitian gang leader Vitel’homme Innocent for his role in the plot to kidnap an American couple and the death of the wife who was shot dead when armed men entered their home.

According to court documents unsealed on Tuesday, after breaking into Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin’s Haiti residence in October 2022, Innocent’s co-conspirators kidnapped Jean Franklin and demanded a ransom of as much as $150,000 for his release.

Innocent, who leads the powerful Kraze Barye gang in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, was already on the FBI’s wanted list with a bounty of $1 million, citing his role in the 2021 kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries.

The unsealed court document charges the 37-year-old with hostage taking as well as the conspiracy and attempt to take a hostage, resulting in a death.

Innocent and others began planning kidnapping the couple days before forcing entry to their home on Oct. 7, 2022, the document said, when armed conspirators shot dead Marie Odette Franklin and took her husband to an unknown location.

Though a ransom of $8,000 was initially agreed, after Innocent’s participation the demand shot up to as much as $150,000, before the kidnappers eventually agreed to a lower sum and released Jean Franklin weeks after his abduction.

According to the document, Innocent’s gang has used revenue from car thefts, extortion and kidnapping to pay for weapons and ammunition from the United States and elsewhere.

The U.S. District Court of Columbia unsealed the case as countries mull sending troops to support a U.N.-ratified force requested by Haiti’s government to help outgunned police combat gangs, who have grown their wealth, power and arsenals.

A recent U.N. report said Innocent’s 600-strong Kraze Barye has become one of the capital’s most powerful gangs, saying it is responsible for thefts, looting, displacements, rapes, murders, and kidnappings of prominent journalists and officials.

 
 

5 Responses to “US court charges Haitian gang leader in attack on American couple”

  • Real Macoy (25/10/2023, 11:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wicked and Demonic people.
    Haiti is one place I really don't care to visit at all.
    Those serious crimes are not good for tourism.
    They will learn the hard way.
    That's why they always get big earthquake in their country.
    The Lord doesn't sleep.
  • lk (25/10/2023, 11:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    See his face like what i don't know evil son of a birch
  • Eldread (25/10/2023, 11:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think the USA is too hegemonic to charge a citizen out of it's jurisdiction for petty crime that does not meet extradition standards, Americans are arrested in other countries for real crime and all you hear is the American government subverting the will of that countries judiciary saying to free their citizens against the court ruling, what Haitians are people of a lesser god?
  • Ug Lee (25/10/2023, 12:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Evil piece of sh____!!
  • Georgie (26/10/2023, 10:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I was confused at first .. I taught the court said he was innocent, but then realized thats his last name .. I was like WTF.


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