A Haitian gang leader, Johnson Andre, known as "Izo," has been charged with the hostage-taking of a U.S. citizen in Haiti in March 2023. The charges were filed in the District of Columbia and made public recently.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., alongside FBI Acting Special Agent Brett Skiles from the Miami Field Office. According to the affidavit, Andre leads the 5 Segond gang based in Village de Dieu near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This group is involved in kidnappings for ransom and robberies to finance their operations, including purchasing weapons and ammunition.
Andre allegedly ordered his gang members to find and abduct individuals for ransom. On March 18, 2023, a victim was kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to Village de Dieu. The individual was held captive for nine days, during which time they were subjected to beatings and burns from hot plastic. Andre reportedly visited during this period to negotiate ransom terms with the victim's family. The hostage was released on March 27 after a ransom payment.
Currently, Andre remains at large but is believed to be residing in Village de Dieu. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on December 8, 2023, under Executive Order 13818 due to human rights abuses related to his criminal activities.
If found guilty, Andre could face life imprisonment. The case is under investigation by the FBI's Miami Field Office with support from its Legal Attaché Office in Haiti and assistance from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba is prosecuting the case with help from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts.
It is important to note that charges are only allegations until proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court.