Smugglers Sentenced to 573 Months in Prison

MIAMI — A U.S. District Court judge sentenced 14 convicted migrant smugglers to nearly 50 years imprisonment and 37 years supervised release during proceedings held Tuesday and Wednesday at Miami and Key West, Fla., courthouses.

On one of the ill-fated smuggling ventures, a Cuban migrant suffered a severe head injury while onboard the smuggling boat and later died. In another case, a smuggling boat attempted to ram a Coast Guard law enforcement vessel and a Coast Guard crewmember was struck in the head by a 15-gallon gas can thrown by a smuggler.

“These sentences should send a strong message to would-be criminals who might attempt to flee law enforcement and recklessly endanger Coast Guard personnel on the high seas,” said Capt. Dean Lee, Coast Guard Seventh District chief of staff. “The tragic loss of life and blatant disregard for the safety of migrants aboard smuggling vessels continues to plague South Florida’s Cuban community and will continue until community members stop hiring these ruthless criminals.”

On November 15, Olierki Fabelo-Carbonell and Dunieskis Rodriguez Pinero led Coast Guard Cutter Tornado crewmembers on a 90-minute chase while attempting to smuggle Cuban migrants into the U.S. One Cuban migrant suffered a severe head injury that left him in a coma. After five months in the coma, he died in April at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. For their roles in these crimes, Fabelo-Carbonell and Rodriguez Pinero were each sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and a special assessment of $200.

In another case, Manuel Friere was found guilty April 2 on charges of assault on a Coast Guard boarding officer and attempting to ram a law-enforcement vessel. Friere was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and a special assessment of $200. A co-defendant involved in the case pled guilty to the same charges in February and was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment and three years supervised release. Friere and the co-defendant led the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Key Biscayne on a 2-hour chase June 27, 2007. During the chase, Friere attempted several times to ram the Key Biscayne and the co-defendant shielded the engines with his body to prevent disabling fire. Additionally, Friere threw a 15-gallon gas can at a boarding team member, striking the officer in the head.

The sentences, guilty pleas and convictions all stem from the outstanding cooperation and partnership in law-enforcement operations and investigations conducted by the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida.

The cutter Tornado is a 179-foot patrol boat homeported in Pascagoula, Miss.
The cutter Key Biscayne is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Coast Guard Repatriates 47 Dominicans to La Romana, Dominican Republic

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke repatriated 47 Dominican migrants to La Romana, Dominican Republic Saturday, and detained eight others for prosecution following two at-sea interdictions by Department of Homeland Security and Puerto Rico law enforcement authorities Thursday and Friday.

Friday’s Interdiction:

A Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action F.U.R.A. marine unit interdicted a 20-foot yola with 14 Dominican migrants onboard Friday in waters off Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan controllers diverted Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke to assist at the scene. The crew of the Ocracoke embarked 13 Dominicans, 9 men and 4 women, while the crew of the F.U.R.A. marine unit proceeded to transfer a Dominican man with lacerations in his hand to receive medical care ashore. The migrant was transferred to “El Buen Samaritano” Hospital under the custody of Border Patrol agents.

The Ocracoke’s crew collected the biographic information, digital fingerprints and facial photograph, from the interdicted migrants, and they detained three Dominicans for attempting to enter illegally into the United States or a U.S. Territory on at least two occasions. The United States Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico accepted to prosecute their cases.

Thursday’s Interdiction:

The crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air & Marine Branch fixed-wing aircraft located a migrant yola Thursday morning while patrolling Mona Passage waters, southwest of Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan controllers diverted Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke to the scene. The Ocracoke interdicted the 30-foot grossly overloaded yola Thursday afternoon, and they embarked 35 men and 7 women of Dominican Republic nationality, who requested to be taken off the yola as their boat was riding low in the water. The crew of an Air Station Borinquen HH-65 Dolphin helicopter flew rescue support at the scene, while the migrants disembarked the yola and boarded the Ocracoke.

The Ocracoke’s crew collected the biographic information, digital fingerprints and facial photograph, from the interdicted migrants, and they detained five Dominicans for attempting to enter illegally into the United States or a U.S. Territory on at least two occasions. The United States Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico accepted to prosecute their cases.

Transfer of Custody and Repatriation:

U.S. Border Patrol agents went aboard the Ocracoke Friday and conducted migrant interviews and performed background checks on the interdicted migrants biographic information.

The crew of the Ocracoke turned custody of all eight detained Dominican migrants from both interdictions to Border Patrol agents in Añasco, Puerto Rico Friday.

The crew of the Ocracoke repatriated the remaining 47 Dominican migrants Saturday morning when they transferred their custody over to Dominican Republic navy authorities in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

The biometric capability employed in this case provides the Coast Guard with an important tool to definitively establish the identity of those interdicted at sea who may attempt to enter or re-enter the United States illegally, or who may pose a threat to national security.

Collecting biometric identification supports the U.S. Government’s efforts to target human smugglers and protect migrants put at risk attempting to enter the United States illegally from the sea.

Coast Guard Interdicts, Repatriates 49 Cuban Migrants

MIAMI - The Coast Guard Cutter Drummond repatriated 49 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Wednesday.

The crew of the cutter Drummond located a rustic vessel with three Cuban migrants aboard 72 miles southeast of Key West, Fla., Friday.

The Coast Guard received a call from the captain of the cruise ship Carnival Victory stating they had located a rustic vessel 54 miles south of Cabo San Antonio, Cuba, Thursday. The Cuban migrants were brought aboard the cruise ship and remained there until the cutter Oak arrived. The crew of the Oak rendezvoused with the Victory Sunday and embarked the 10 Cuban migrants.

A rustic vessel made of green plastic barrels with four Cuban migrants aboard was intercepted by the crew of the cutter Vigilant 20 miles north of the province of Guantanamo, Cuba, Thursday.

Officials at Coast Guard Sector Miami received notification from a Customs and Border Protection aircraft that had located a go-fast vessel 24 miles east of Lake Worth Inlet, Fla., Thursday. Boatcrews from Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet and Station Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were launched to assist two CBP marine units already en route. The CBP vessels stopped the go-fast vessel with 33 Cuban migrants and one suspected smuggler 10 miles east of Delray Beach, Fla. The CBP marine unit on scene took custody of the go-fast vessel and the suspected smuggler, and the cutter Gannet embarked the migrants.

One migrant is pending transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Once aboard Coast Guard cutters, migrants receive food, water, shelter and any necessary medical attention.

The cutter Oak is a 225-foot seagoing buoy tender homeported in Charleston, S.C.
The cutter Vigilant is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Fla.
The cutter Drummond is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West, Fla.
The cutter Gannet is an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Coast Guard Interdicts, Repatriates 40 Cuban Migrants

MIAMI - The Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island repatriated 40 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, today after they were interdicted during five separate events.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Drummond interdicted a go-fast vessel with 19 Cuban migrants aboard 67 miles south of Key West, Fla., Monday. Two suspected smugglers were transferred to Customs and Border Protection agents in Key West for further investigation.

The crew of the cutter Drummond located and rescued five Cuban migrants from a rustic vessel 80 miles southwest of Key West Sunday.

In response to a good Samaritan reporting he had located a rustic vessel, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Oak rescued seven Cuban migrants from a rustic vessel 37 miles northeast of Camaguey, Cuba, Sunday.

The crew of the cutter Oak recovered six Cuban migrants after a good Samaritan vessel rescued them 70 miles east of Marathon, Fla., Saturday.

Cutter Drummond crewmembers rescued four Cuban migrants from a rustic vessel 20 miles northeast of Havana, Cuba, Saturday.

One Cuban migrant is pending transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Since October, 1, 2007, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 1,540 Cuban migrants in the Straits of Florida. Once aboard cutters migrants receive food, water, shelter and any necessary medical treatment.

The cutter Kodiak Island and Drummond are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla. and Key West.

The cutter Oak is a 225-foot sea going buoy tender homeported in Charleston, S.C.

Coast Guard Interdicts, Repatriates 42 Cubans

MIAMI - The Coast Guard Cutter Drummond repatriated 42 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Wednesday.

District Seven search-and-rescue coordinators in Miami received a report from a man stating he had family members with no water aboard a disabled vessel approximately 75 miles south of Andros Island, Bahamas, Sunday. An HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., was diverted to locate the disabled vessel. Once located by the aircrew, an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater, deployed to the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), was launched and able to drop drinking water to the distressed people until a rescue crew arrived. Once on scene, the crew of the Farallon discovered 18 Cuban migrants and one suspected smuggler aboard. The Cuban migrants were embarked onto the Farallon and the suspected smuggler was transferred to Customs and Border Protection agents in Miami.

The crew of the cutter Kodiak Island interdicted a rustic vessel with 12 Cuban migrants aboard 58 miles south of Key West, Fla., Saturday.

A good Samaritan reported to Coast Guard officials they encountered a rustic vessel with five Cuban migrants aboard 17 miles south of Big Pine Key, Fla., Friday. The good Samaritan remained on scene until the the crew of the cutter Chandeleur arrived and embarked the migrants.

Officials at Coast Guard Sector Key West received notification that a good Samaritan had located a rustic vessel with four Cuban migrants aboard 24 miles south of Key West, Friday. A Station Key West boatcrew and the cutter Kodiak Island were diverted, and upon arriving on scene, the boatcrew safely embarked the Cuban migrants.

Another good Samaritan notified Sector Key West officials stating they located a rustic vessel with three Cuban migrants aboard approximately 23 miles south of Big Pine Key, Friday. A boatcrew from Station Key West along with the cutter Key Biscayne were dispatched to interdict the vessel. Once on scene, the Station Key West boatcrew embarked the Cuban migrants and transferred them to the cutter Key Biscayne.

“These people are very fortunate that they were located by good Samaritans who remained on scene with them until the Coast Guard could arrive.” said Lt. Tom Gorgol, a Seventh District law-enforcement duty officer.

Once aboard Coast Guard cutters, migrants receive food, water, shelter and necessary medical attention.

The cutters Key Biscayne and Kodiak Island are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The cutters Farallon and Chandeleur are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in Miami.
The cutter Drummond is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West, Fla.

Coast Guard Interdicts 12 Human Smugglers, At-Sea Biometrics Utilized

MIAMI - Coast Guard crews interdicted 12 suspected migrants smugglers throughout the Florida Keys this weekend and utilized at-sea biometrics to positively identify each person to the US-VISIT databases.

The Coast Guard began conducting at-sea biometrics collections of suspected smugglers in the Florida Straits in April. The program was initiated in the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in Nov. 2006 and uses technology to compare fingerprint data against US-VISIT databases. The databases include information about wanted criminals, immigration violators, and those who have previously encountered government authorities.

“The identification, prosecution and deterrence of migrant smugglers are key ingredients toward enhancing our border security,” said Rear Adm. Wayne Justice, director of response policy for the Coast Guard. “Having this immediate feedback to ascertain criminal activity with certainty is essential to the prosecution and application of consequences to prevent the highly dangerous mode of at-sea illegal-migrant smuggling.”

Last week 10 suspected migrant smugglers were interdicted by Coast Guard and CBP crews and turned over to CBP-Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The 12 individuals will also be turned over to CBP-Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Enforcement investigators for further questioning.

Coast Guard Rescues and Repatriates 193 Haitian Migrants

MIAMI - The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless repatriated 193 Haitian migrants to Cap-Haiten, Haiti, Monday. The Haitian migrants were located aboard two over-crowded sailboats Friday while the 210-foot cutter patrolled the waters off Haiti enforcing alien migrant interdiction operations.

Crewmembers aboard the Dauntless located a sail-freighter approximately 20 miles south of Great Inagua, Bahamas, Friday. The crew launched two small boats and distributed life jackets before safely embarking 104 migrants.

Crewmembers aboard Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant located a sail-freighter 34 miles northeast of Isla de Tortue, Haiti, Friday night and with the suppport of the Dauntless crew, two small boat crews were launched to distribute life jackets and safely embark 89 Haitian migrants.

Coast Guard crews repatriated 247 Haitian migrants April 15 after two over-crowded sail boats were located about 20 miles off of Great Inagua.

Once aboard the Coast Guard cutter, all migrants are provided food, water, shelter and any necessary medical attention.

In accordance with United States policy, all migrants interdicted at sea will be immediately repatriated.

The Dauntless is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Galveston, Texas.

The Vigilant is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Fla.

Coast Guard Repatriate 79 Cuban Migrants

MIAMI - The Coast Guard Cutter Key Biscayne repatriated 79 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Saturday who were interdicted in four separate events.

A Customs and Border Protection aircrew located two go-fast vessels traveling in tandem about 40 miles southeast of Miami Wednesday morning. CBP Air and Marine agents patrolling the area intercepted both vessels using disabling fire after the smuggler’s refused to stop, about 12 miles east of Miami. The 58 migrants were transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Pea Island and four suspected smugglers were transferred to Border Patrol agents in Miami.

The Cutter Kodiak Island interdicted 18 Cuban migrants from a rustic vessel about 45 miles northwest of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday.

A CBP aircraft crew located an unlit go-fast vessel about 80 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., Tuesday, and provided that information to the Coast Guard. The Cutter Key Biscayne was notified and their small boat crew interdicted the vessel with six migrants and two suspected smugglers about 42 miles south of Key West. The two suspects were transferred to Border Patrol agents in Key West.

Two Cuban migrants are pending transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and one is pending disposition.

Once aboard Coast Guard cutters, migrants receive food, water, shelter and necessary medical attention.

The cutters Key Biscayne and Kodiak Island are a 110-foot patrol boats homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The cutter Pea Island is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Miami.