Roger B. Handberg, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced the unsealing of an indictment against Shem Wayne Alexander, a 35-year-old from Port of Spain, Trinidad. Alexander faces charges of conspiracy to commit unlawful export smuggling and conspiracy to traffic firearms. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Alexander was apprehended in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, following a U.S. provisional arrest request aimed at his extradition to the United States. He was subsequently extradited on December 20, 2024, and is currently detained awaiting trial.
The indictment alleges that Alexander led a group involved in illegally exporting firearms and components such as upper and lower receivers and gun parts kits from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022. The firearms included pistols and rifles concealed within items like boxing equipment, speakers, and other household goods to evade detection by law enforcement and customs authorities.
It is further alleged that conspirators acquired firearms in the Tampa area through straw purchases by misrepresenting the identities of actual buyers and recipients, as well as their final destination.
On April 7, 2021, Alexander reportedly instructed conspirators to ship a package containing various firearms from Miami to Trinidad and Tobago. Authorities seized these firearms at Piarco International Airport on April 22, 2021.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), including HSI’s Attaché Caribbean office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; with assistance from several agencies including the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service's Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Special Investigations Unit; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; United States Customs and Border Protection; Bureau of Industry Security - Office of Export Enforcement under an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF program aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle serious transnational criminal organizations.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs played a crucial role in facilitating Alexander's extradition. Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee will prosecute the case.
