A Haitian gang leader, identified by federal prosecutors, received a life sentence on Wednesday for orchestrating the 2021 kidnapping of 16 Americans, which included five children.

The individual, Joly Germine, aged 34 and from Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was also fined $1,700 by the court.

According to the Justice Department, the hostages were part of Christian Aid Ministries, an organization based in Ohio. They were abducted in October 2021 while returning from volunteer work at an orphanage.

“The group of missionaries consisted of 12 adults and five children, the youngest being just 8 months old,” stated D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “This sentencing underscores the failure of Germine’s attempt to exploit these Christians as bargaining chips for his own gain.”

The image captures police conducting vehicle inspections in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Prosecutors have claimed in court documents that Germine, despite being incarcerated, managed the operations of the notorious “400 Mawozo” gang, using unauthorized cell phones to communicate. Germine and his legal team have denied these accusations.

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.