In a significant development, the FBI in Miami has declared that the notorious Haitian gang leader, Vitel’homme Innocent, has been added to the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.”
This move comes in the wake of charges brought against him by U.S. prosecutors for orchestrating the kidnapping of an American couple in Haiti, a harrowing incident that resulted in the tragic death of a woman.
$2 million reward for information
The FBI’s announcement carries a weighty incentive—a $2 million reward for any information leading to the apprehension of 37-year-old Vitel’homme Innocent.
Charges stemming from the tragic kidnapping
Innocent, leader of the Kraze Barye gang, faces charges related to the kidnapping in October 2022.
The kidnapping of Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin in Haiti took a grim turn when Marie Franklin was fatally shot during their abduction.
Her husband, Jean, endured a grueling 21 days in captivity.
Repeat offender: A pattern of kidnappings
Before the 2022 incident, Innocent was already on the radar of law enforcement. He had been charged in connection with the October 2021 kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries in Haiti, including five children.
The victims were held hostage at gunpoint for a staggering 61 days.
Innocent is charged with conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death, aiding and abetting hostage taking and attempted hostage taking resulting in death by the U.S. Justice Department.
Haiti’s escalating gang warfare crisis
The unrest and violence in Haiti have been on the rise since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Gang-related activities, characterized by killings, sexual assaults, and ransom kidnappings, have become alarmingly commonplace. Shockingly, some victims remain in captivity for months, enduring unimaginable trauma.
The United Nations paint a grim picture, with over 1,230 killings and 701 kidnappings reported across Haiti from July 1 to Sept. 30, a stark contrast to the previous year.
This crisis is further exacerbated by the presence of an estimated 200 gangs, with the largest groups wielding control over a staggering 80 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
