U.S. Marshals arrest alleged boat owner linked to missing Haitian rapper MechansT

CAP-HAITIEN — U.S. Marshals have arrested Emilien Haly, the alleged owner of the boat that missing Haitian rapper Wens Jonathan “MechansT” Désir is believed to have used to travel illegally from the Bahamas to Miami. Although the reason for the arrest has not been disclosed, public records confirm that Haly was arrested in Florida on Sept. 6 and is currently held at the Broward County Main Jail in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

“It’s a good step,” said Chéro Chérident, Désir’s production manager. “At least we know where he [Haly] is, and every follow-up must be done from the State and our ends, too, if our lawyer wants to ask questions.”

Chérident emphasized the importance of Haly’s testimony, stating, “He’s the boat’s owner; if something happens, he’s the key for all information because I don’t think someone would have a boat without at least a GPS. There are some answers that he has. And he will give them to us so we know what to do.”

The U.S. Marshals Service has not yet responded to The Haitian Times’ request for comment.

Haly, 38, whose nationality remains unknown, has a history of legal issues, having been charged in 2018 for illegally transporting an undocumented individual, Kevin Lafrance, on his boat. Authorities from the Bahamas patrol vessel HBMS Cascarilla found Haly’s 30-foot cabin cruiser near Half Moon Cay, off San Salvador. As the Bahamian newspaper Eleuthera reported, Haly was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $3,000, with his vessel confiscated.

Désir is alleged to have boarded Haly’s boat on July 4 to travel clandestinely from Great Abaco in the Bahamas to Miami without a U.S. visa. Chérident mentioned that family and friends have not heard from Désir since that date.

A vessel carrying 40 to 60 passengers went missing on July 4 in Great Abaco, but it is unclear if it was Haly’s boat. Chérident has attempted to contact Haly multiple times without success.

Chérident, a Haitian living in the United States, also revealed the involvement of five other men in the trip, for which Désir reportedly paid $8,000. The men include Elinair “Pick” Petitphat and Sandie Corneille, who allegedly received the payment.

The last names of three other suspects are unknown: Peter, the presumed organizer; Willy, initially introduced as the boat’s owner; and Lubin, reportedly responsible for transporting passengers to Miami.

The whereabouts of these five suspects remain unknown.

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