Wednesday January 17, 2024, Germine Joly alias 'Yonyon' Historical leader of the "400 Mawozo" one of the most powerful gangs in Haiti, after being extradited to the United States in May 2022 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36576-haiti-flash-the-powerful-leader-of-the-400-wawozo-gang-extradited-to-the-usa.html , will now face a jury trial in federal court in Washington, D.C.

48 counts weigh against "Yonyon" : smuggling firearms, in violation of several American laws, such as exporting and laundering ransoms for kidnappings in order to support the violence of his gang.

The weapons sold by Joly included AK47 and M1A assault rifles, as well as ammunition purchased from dealers in Miami and other areas of Florida with the help of "fake buyers" according to an indictment filed in July 2022, two months after the revelation of the first charges against him.

Jury selection began Wednesday and Joly faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years for the most serious charge, exporting weapons to Haiti without the proper U.S. license.

Let's recall that Germine Joly, while detained in the United States, collaborated with the FBI to free a Dominican diplomat kidnapped in Haiti in April 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36562-haiti-dr-a-kidnapped-dominican-diplomat-the-400-mawozogang-demands-500-000-us$-for-his-release.html He had been authorized by the FBI to "call an active member of the 400 Mawozo, known as the name 'Gaspiyay', to coordinate the release" of the diplomat indicates court documents. After several phone calls, the diplomat was released https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36583-haiti-news-zapping.html and allowed to go to the Dominican Embassy.

SL/ HaitiLibre