Vincy man arrested in USVI for smuggling humans from Tortola to St John
Lorenzo Charles also reportedly admitted his guilt to Customs and Border Protection officials, even telling them he had done similar illegal operations before.
CBP agents used night vision goggles to spot boat
According to the VI Consortium today, February 27, 2024, CBP Marine Interdiction Agents were patrolling the coastline near Leinster Bay in St John on the evening of February 23, 2024, when they spotted a boat near the shoreline of Tortola.
According to court documents, using their night vision goggles, the agents say they followed the vessel’s journey from Tortola, across international waters, and into Leinster Bay near the Annaberg ruins. The boat, officials say, was operating with no navigational lights on board.
After the boat turned around and began heading back to Tortola, the agents activated their own lights and sirens, commanding the vessel to heave to. The captain, identified as Lorenzo Charles, a citizen of St Vincent and the Grenadines, was apprehended and the boat towed to St Thomas.
6 persons on board including minor
Apart from Charles, there were five others on board - three Indian nationals including a minor, one Argentinian national, and a national of the Dominican Republic. All six were determined not to be citizens of the United States, and had entered the country illegally.
According to court records, Charles seemingly admitted guilt as soon as he was questioned, telling a Homeland Security Investigations special agent that he knows it was wrong to bring people across in this manner.
Captain allegedly did job to clear a debt
However, he explained that he borrowed $4000 for someone he reportedly did not name. He was later contacted to “clear the bill,” according to documents before the court, and understood that to mean that he must perform a service to satisfy his debt. He met the person who had loaned him the money at a location in West End Tortola, and saw the five passengers being helped aboard the vessel. Once everyone was loaded, Charles said he departed from Tortola, driving slowly at first, until he received a call from the unnamed individual saying that he needs his money. Then he continued with the trip in earnest, he told agents.
Not his first rodeo!
The boat did not have GPS equipment on board, but Charles told law enforcement that he could clearly see St John from Tortola. He admitted to knowing the correct way to enter the US, and also reportedly confessed to having smuggled people across illegally around three times before this trip. This run, Charles said, was supposed to have cleared the remaining $1000 balance of his debt to the unnamed individual.
The passengers, when questioned, said they had paid someone other than Charles to be taken from Tortola to St John.
A detention hearing is set for Tuesday, February 27, 2024, before US Magistrate Ruth Miller. Prosecutors have asked for Charles to be detained ahead of trial, as they argue he presents a flight risk. However, if a suitable third-party custodian can be identified and accepted by the court, the state will not object to pre-trial release.
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24 Responses to “Vincy man arrested in USVI for smuggling humans from Tortola to St John”
The BVI appears to be conveniently void of participating patrol...the sightings and apprehensions of illegal entering and departures are captured by the USVI.
No doubt,we will learn the identity of who hired him for this job and more details about local activities in this realm. Thank You USVI.
You like man or sum &^%$ tha could be somebody father