A Bahamian man has been sentenced to 20 months in a federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of alien smuggling. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, 46-year-old Keith Kevin Russell was apprehended by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers six miles off Miami's coast on November 8, 2024, transporting 18 individuals from The Bahamas to the United States on his boat.
The CBP had to fire warning flares to cause Russell to eventually stop his vessel. The individuals, hailing from China, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, were all confirmed by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to not have authorization to enter the United States. In a move to evade likely detection, Russell attempted to boldly continue his journey, only to be stopped after the intervention of law enforcement. The press release indicated that amongst those smuggled was Patrick Angelo Percentie, a 45-year-old previously deported after an aggravated felony conviction, who has also been sentenced to a 16-month term following a guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Hayden O'Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Office, were the officials announcing the sentencing. Coordination between HSI Miami, CBP, and the 7th Coast Guard District was crucial in both the interception and the subsequent investigation that led to the sentencing of Russell and Percentie. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl led the prosecution of the case. The other individuals found on the vessel were returned to the Bahamas.
