Miami Jury Convicts Four Men in 2021 Assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise

A federal jury in Miami convicted four men Monday for their roles in the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, according to the Justice Department. Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages were each convicted of conspiracy to provide material support resulting in death, providing material support resulting in death, conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the United States, conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, and expedition against a friendly nation, prosecutors said.

Intriago faced additional counts related to smuggling goods from the U.S. and submitting false export information. To execute the plot, they recruited allies across the U.S., Colombia, and Haiti, including 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang leaders, prosecutors said.

Eight co-conspirators pleaded guilty and six testified at trial. Between April and July 2021, the defendants developed and refined multiple plans to kidnap or kill Moise, according to trial evidence. Prosecutors said the group at one point discussed kidnapping Moise at his sister’s home, drugging him and forcing him to resign before later shifting tactics.

Ultimately, the defendants ordered Colombian mercenaries to storm his residence, prosecutors said. On July 7, a team of former Colombian special forces soldiers known as the Delta Team fatally shot Moise in his bedroom and seriously wounded First Lady Martine Moise.

Ballistic evidence introduced at trial matched bullets recovered from both victims to a rifle used by the Delta Team, prosecutors said.