Lamorthe Delva, a Haitian national, pleaded guilty Friday in federal district court to conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States, according to Ronald W. Sharpe, U.S. attorney for the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
On April 10 the 46-year-old Delva was charged in a 10-count indictment, along with Dieuseul Mompremier and Roro Edourre. In addition to conspiracy to smuggle aliens, Mompremier, Delva and Edourre are charged with unlawfully attempting to bring aliens into the United States.
Mompremier also is charged with transportation of an alien within the United States on or about Dec. 28, 2011. Edourre was prosecuted for manslaughter in the British Virgin Islands, where he is currently serving his sentence.
According to the indictment, in December 2010, Mompremier, Delva and Edourre conspired with each other and others to smuggle illegal aliens into St. John. On Dec. 5, 2010, Edourre was the captain of the vessel Jesus La, with approximately 33 passengers, most of them Haitian nationals, including men, women and children, when the vessel traveled from St. Maarten to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
While Edourre was transporting the illegal aliens on the vessel, Mompremier and Delva waited in the U.S. Virgin Islands and communicated with their co-conspirators by telephone, the indictment said.
The U.S. Coast Guard spotted the vessel carrying Edourre and his passengers, and Edourre attempted to evade the Coast Guard, the indictment said. It was during the attempt that Jesus La ran aground and sank, resulting in the death of at least eight individuals, including four children.
Delva faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 25 before District Judge Curtis V. Gomez.
Sharpe commended the work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim L. Chisholm, who is prosecuting this case.
