Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Shem Wayne Alexander (35, Port of Spain, Trinidad) with conspiracy to commit unlawful export smuggling and conspiracy to traffic firearms. If convicted, Alexander faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Alexander was arrested in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request with a view towards extradition to the United States. On December 20, 2024, Alexander was extradited to the United States. Alexander is detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, Alexander was the leader of a group that unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022. Alexander is a national of Trinidad and Tobago. The firearms, which included pistols and rifles, and related equipment were concealed within boxing/fight equipment, speakers, and other household items to avoid detection by law enforcement and customs authorities. Conspirators also acquired firearms in the Tampa area from different sellers through straw purchases, falsely representing the identities of the actual purchasers and recipients of the firearms, as well as their ultimate destination.
On April 7, 2021, Alexander directed conspirators to ship a package concealing and containing various firearms and related equipment, 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. On April 22, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad seized those firearms and other related items that had been concealed in the shipment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Attaché Caribbean, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Special Investigations Unit), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Industry and Security – Office of Export Enforcement as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious transnational criminal organizations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided critical support in the extradition of Alexander. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.