Miami, FL – A Bahamian national has been found guilty of alien smuggling by a federal district judge in Miami. The case unfolded when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers spotted 31-year-old Shakerio Michael Jones traveling from The Bahamas toward the United States on December 19, 2024. The CBP officers, aboard an aircraft, alerted their colleagues on the water.
Once Jones’s boat entered U.S. waters off the coast of Miami-Dade County, CBP officers on a maritime operations vessel intercepted the high-speed boat, ordering it to stop. The officers transferred all 13 individuals from the boat to the USCG Cutter Bernard C. Webber, where it was confirmed they lacked permission to enter the United States. The group comprised nationals from the United Kingdom, Haiti, Honduras, Ireland, India, and The Bahamas. It was also discovered that Jones had previously been removed from the United States.
Jones was brought ashore to face charges, while the other individuals were returned to The Bahamas. On April 24, Jones pleaded guilty before a magistrate judge, and on April 30, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra formally adjudicated him guilty. Jones is scheduled for sentencing on July 18 in Miami, facing up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office. The investigation was conducted by HSI Miami with support from CBP and the USCG’s 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.
