On July 11, 2017, a Bahamian national was charged with bringing aliens into the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry.
Benjamin Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), made the announcement.
Raymond Abdul Pritchard, 43, of the Bahamas, is charged by indictment with bringing aliens into the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(i) and (B)(i), and with illegal reentry into the United States by an aggravated felon, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(2). The indictment also charges Andy Jackson Mitchell, 51, of Trinidad, Kelvin Everett Esteen, 66, of Jamaica, and Devon Rankin, a/k/a “Raylon Etheridge," 48, of Jamaica, with illegal reentry into the United States, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(2).
According to the court docket, including a criminal complaint and indictment, on June 27, 2017, a Fort Lauderdale Police Marine Unit officer noticed a privately owned open fishing vessel coming in from the ocean that was unusually low in the water. The captain appeared to be having trouble steering the vessel. The Marine Unit officer attempted to pull over the vessel and the vessel sped off to the Sails Marina. Upon arriving at the marina, the vessel docked and individuals who had been aboard the vessel were apprehended, including Mitchell, Esteen and Rankin. Pritchard was determined to have been driving the vessel.
Pritchard is alleged to have brought Mitchell, Esteen and Rankin and an individual with the initials “D.A.J.," into the United States, at a place other than as designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, knowing that they were aliens. It is further alleged that Pritchard brought the aliens to the United States for financial gain.
Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and thanks the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keene.
A criminal complaint and indictment merely contain accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
