Shem Wayne Alexander, a 36-year-old national of Trinidad and Tobago, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti. Alexander was also ordered to forfeit firearms seized during the offense after previously pleading guilty, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Court records show that between April 2019 and April 2022, Alexander and his co-conspirators illegally exported more than 200 firearms as well as firearm components from Florida into Trinidad and Tobago. These items included upper and lower receivers, gun parts kits, magazines, ammunition, and other related equipment.
Authorities intercepted one shipment on April 21, 2021 at Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service along with Customs and Excise Division discovered two punching bags that had been described as “household items.” X-ray images revealed that the bags contained eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber revolvers, a semi-automatic shotgun, AR-15 parts including barrels and magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition for various calibers, magazine couplers, and shotgun chokes.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), including HSI’s Attaché in the Caribbean; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; United States Customs and Border Protection; Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement; Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Transnational Organized Crime Unit/Special Investigations Unit); Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; Jamaica Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Jamaica Constabulary Force. These organizations played roles ranging from investigating the case to supporting Alexander’s extradition from Jamaica.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall prosecuted the case.
"This case demonstrates our commitment to combating transnational organized crime," said Gregory W. Kehoe.
