Ex-Haitian police officer pleads guilty in U.S. to trafficking 140+ guns

A former officer of Haiti's National Police has pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to illegally trafficking at least 140 firearms to his home country. Jean Robert Casimir, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in South Florida, admitted to smuggling the weapons between August 2020 and December 2024.

The U.S. Department of Justice stated that Casimir conspired to smuggle firearms without the required export license from the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. He and his accomplices reportedly disassembled rifles, shotguns, and pistols, concealing them within industrial air compressors. These compressors were then welded shut before being shipped on vessels departing from the Miami area.

Casimir was arrested in South Florida in December 2024 and indicted in January 2025. His sentencing date is pending. The case highlights the ongoing flow of illegal weapons into Haiti, a country grappling with severe political instability and gang violence.

The U.S. Attorney's Office accused Casimir of violating U.S. export control laws. Florida is known for its relatively permissive gun laws, with no state permit required to purchase or possess handguns or rifles. It also ranks second nationally in federally registered firearms, with nearly 631,000 according to ATF data.

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conspiracy, smuggling, and violation of U.S. export control law