US court sentences Germine “Yonyon” Joly to 35 years in prison

A Miami court on Monday sentenced Germine "Yonyon" Joly, a former leader of the notorious gang 400 Mawozo, to 35 years in prison for his role in laundering kidnapping ransoms and illegally trafficking U.S. firearms to Haiti, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Joly admitted in a plea document early this year to being part of a plot to smuggle U.S. firearms to Haiti and helping transfer funds, some of which were proceeds from ransoms obtained by kidnapping U.S. citizens.

U.S. prosecutors said Joly's gunrunning scheme had resulted in the purchase of at least 24 firearms, including AK-47s, AR-15s, an M4 Carbine rifle, an M1A rifle, and a military-grade .50 caliber rifle.

"The leaders of violent gangs in Haiti that terrorize Americans citizens in order to fuel their criminal activity will be met with the full force of the Justice Department," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.