Orlando man charged with illegally shipping guns to Haiti

By Amy Pavuk, Orlando Sentinel

12:16 p.m. EST, February 21, 2013
Federal agents say an Orlando man has been buying guns at Orlando-area businesses, illegally shipping the weapons to Haiti, and then selling the firearms there.

Kenson Jean, 32, was indicted this week by a federal grand jury after a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigation found he has shipped weapons to his native Haiti since at least October.

  • Court records show a tipster told agents in late January that Jean applied to purchase six Glock pistols from Oakridge Gun Range on South Orange Avenue in Orlando.The agent said he suspected Jean was trafficking the weapons due to the quantity he planned to purchase, the criminal complaint said.Agents conducted surveillance on Jean and watched as he bought the firearms at Oakridge Gun Range on Jan. 28.

    The law-enforcement officers subsequently confronted Jean, and he told agents he bought the guns to ship to Haiti, the criminal complaint said.

    Jean said he recently shipped several other firearms he bought from Universal Weapons on South Orange Blossom Trail.

    Investigators learned Jean also bought six semi-automatic pistols from Southern Oaks Gun and Pawn in Orlando.

    Records show Jean, who does not have a license to export firearms, told agents he used different shipping companies to transport guns on cargo ships from Florida to Haiti.

    Jean said he deliberately did not notify the shipping company that his cargo contained guns because he knew the shipper would not allow the items to be moved without proper documentation.

    Once the weapons were being delivered, Jean said he traveled on commercial airlines to Haiti and would receive the delivery, the criminal complaint said.

    Jean, also known as “Kenson Elise,” said he sold the guns primarily to law-enforcement.

    apavuk@tribune.com or 407-420-5735

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