Peniel Olibris (32), a Haitian national living in Denver (Colorado) was sentenced on January 12, 2023 to serve a prison sentence of one year and one day in a federal penitentiary, for having hidden firearms in cars that he was shipping to Haiti.

LKet's recall that a grand jury had indicted Olibris in July 2022. He had signed a plea agreement in September 2022, admitting guilt to one of the two contraband counts in the indictment.

Federal investigators have determined that Olibris purchased 77 firearms from area gun retailers over 16 months, packaged and concealed them in cars he drove to Florida, then shipped them to family members in Haiti. From there, some of the weapons were resold.

According to the plea agreement in the case, a store manager at Westminster Firearms in Arvada reported a suspicious customer in October 2019. Officers from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Olibris at this time. They ultimately determined that Olibris and a woman, Faniola Charles, purchased 77 firearms from stores in Lakewood and Aurora between February 2019 and June 2020.

Olibris shipped 13 cars to Haiti, according to shipping company documentation.

"The terms and conditions for each shipment required Mr. Olibris to affirm that the vehicles did not contain firearms, which are 'prohibited by law,'" as stated in the indictment. "The U.S. State Department, Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance, conducted a check of registration and license history for Mr. Olibris, and confirmed that, as of December 29, 2020, Mr. Olibris had not applied for, or obtained, the necessary license to export defense articles. Mr. Olibris knowlingly exported those firearms, knowing that the exportation was contrary to United States law and regulation."

Olibris faced up to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors have recommended a maximum prison term of 16 months as part of the plea deal.

SL/ HaitiLibre