A Trinidadian football administrator, Shem Wayne Alexander, has been charged in the U.S. with multiple gun trafficking offenses. The indictment against Alexander was unsealed by the U.S. Justice Department on January 22.
According to a statement from U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg, Alexander allegedly led a group that illegally exported firearms, firearm components, and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022. The charges highlight a significant international gun trafficking operation.
The firearms involved in the trafficking operation, which included pistols, rifles, and related equipment, were concealed within boxing gear, speakers, and other household items to evade detection by law enforcement and customs authorities. According to U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg, conspirators also engaged in straw purchases, acquiring firearms from various sellers in the Tampa area by falsely representing the identities of the actual buyers and their intended recipients.
Evidence presented in court revealed that on April 7, 2021, Alexander directed his conspirators to ship a package containing firearms, including a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, a SAR Arms SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, and a Ruger Security-9 9mm pistol, from Miami to Trinidad and Tobago. However, on April 22, 2021, authorities at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad intercepted the shipment and seized the firearms and other related items hidden inside the package.
In 2023, U.S. District Court sentenced Tevin O’Brian Oliver and Jameal Kaia Phillip to four years and nine months in federal prison for their involvement in the gun trafficking operation. Shem Wayne Alexander, who was allegedly the leader of the group, was arrested in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, and extradited to the United States on December 20, 2024.
Currently, Alexander is being held in a U.S. prison as he awaits his trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Chee.
