22941: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-DRUG AGENCY ARRESTS 7TH HAITIAN IN PROBE (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


MIAMI

DRUG AGENCY ARRESTS 7TH HAITIAN IN PROBE

A seventh Haitian has been arrested by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in
its continuing investigation of cocaine trafficking linked to Haitian
government officials.

Jean Salim Batrony is scheduled for his first court appearance this morning
in Miami. He surrendered to U.S. officials in Haiti late last month.

A criminal complaint alleges Batrony ran shipments of Colombian cocaine from
Haiti to the United States for several years and paid protection money to
Haitian Sen. Jean-Marie Fourel Celestin.

Federal prosecutors have not yet decided how to charge the seven men, but
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick confirmed that they are negotiating
charges with the defense, The Associated Press reported.

Batrony has not been indicted. Prosecutors would not say whether the absence
of an indictment indicates that he is negotiating charges in exchange for
testimony.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

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