A man identified by federal prosecutors as a leader of a Haitian gang received a life sentence on Wednesday for his involvement in the 2021 kidnapping of 16 Americans, including five children.

Joly Germine, a 34-year-old resident of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was also mandated to pay a $1,700 fine as part of his sentencing.

According to the Justice Department, the victims were members of Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio-based organization. They were returning from work at an orphanage when the kidnapping occurred in October 2021.

“The group of missionaries consisted of 12 adults and five children, with the youngest being a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and an 8-month-old,” stated Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C. “This sentencing serves as a stern reminder that Germine’s attempt to leverage the hostages for his own gain ended in failure.”

A police officer inspects a vehicle in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Prosecutors said in a court filing that Germine led the violent Haitian gang “400 Mawozo” while in prison, directing the group’s operations using unmonitored cell phones – allegations he and his attorneys denied.

Germine allegedly was in constant touch with other 400 Mawozo leaders, most of whom were his relatives, and wanted to secure his release from prison in exchange for the hostages. Most of them were held at gunpoint for 62 days until they escaped. 

The Haitian government transferred Germine from a Haitian jail into U.S. custody in May 2022 after an arrest warrant was issued.

An inmate’s uniform hangs on barbed wire at Croix-des-Bouquets prison after a mass escape and fatal violence near Port-au-Prince on Feb. 25, 2021. (Reginald Louissaint Jr/AFP via Getty Images)

“This case shows that the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to track down anyone who kidnaps a U.S. citizen abroad,” said then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland at the time. “We will utilize the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to hold accountable anyone responsible for undermining the safety of Americans anywhere in the world.”

Germine was sentenced last year to 35 years in federal prison for his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy that involved smuggling firearms to Haiti and for laundering ransom money collected by the gang.

Kenyan police stand guard outside the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on July 5, 2024, as armed gangs continue to cause unrest in nearby areas. (Guerinault Louis/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ray Noecker, whose wife Cheryl and five children were held hostage, said during sentencing that the ordeal was a “life-changing experience” for his family. He told Germine he hopes he finds “God’s peace.”

“True freedom is not found outside of prison walls. True freedom is found inside your own heart,” Noecker said.