Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony V. Mangione, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, announced that a Bahamian national was charged in last night’s failed deadly migrant smuggling operation at Black Point Marina in Homestead, Fla. An additional four migrants were criminally charged with having illegally re-entered the United States after deportation.

The criminal complaint charges Davon Rolle, 19, of the Bahamas, with alien smuggling, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv), and defendants David Coore, 27, of Jamaica, Delroy Coombs, 45, of Jamaica, Mathura Bridgelal, 50, of Trinidad, and Tyrel Levarity, 23, of the Bahamas, with illegal re-entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). If convicted of the charges in the complaint, Rolle faces up to 5 years in prison, defendant Bridgelal faces up to 10 years in prison and defendants Coore, Coombs, and Levarity face up to 2 years in prison. A 24-year-old Bahamian national was charged with being in violation of U.S. immigration law and is currently in ICE custody pending immigration removal proceedings.

According to the charges, on Feb. 23 at approximately 6:20 pm, ICE special agents responded to Miami’s Black Point Marina in Homestead to assist the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Branch with the interdiction of an inbound go-fast vessel - 28 foot “Intrepid.” The 28 foot white center console fishing boat outfitted with twin Yamaha outboard engines was heading toward the Florida coast at a high rate of speed. CBP personnel aboard the surveilling aircraft witnessed officers of the Miami Dade Police Department (MDPD) Air Unit attempting to stop the 28 foot vessel, giving chase and displaying the customary flashing red and blue lights. Thereafter, all the individuals on the vessel began to jump overboard and swim ashore towards Black Point Marina. An additional individual from the vessel, later identified as a 28-year-old Jamaican national, was found dead in the water approximately 30 feet from shore. ICE special agents took custody of the defendants and seized approximately 60 pounds of marijuana contained in a duffel bag inside the vessel.

All five defendants had their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Miami and are being held in pre-trial detention pending their bond hearings, which are scheduled for March 1, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine branch, the Miami Dade Police Department and the Florida Parks Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Parente with the assistance of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Styron.

A Complaint is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.