Miami Federal Prosecutors Charge Two Foreign Nationals Headed for Florida Coast on Boat with 20 Alien Passengers

MIAMI – A Bahamian national and a Haitian national face federal charges in the Southern District of Florida after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stopped a go-fast boat heading towards South Florida, finding the two defendants at the helm accompanied by 20 other aliens – 12 from China, seven from Haiti, and one from Jamaica.

A criminal complaint charges both Demetrius Luciano Kemp, 27, of the Bahamas, and Mikewendzly Nestar Norelus, 22, of Haiti, with failure to heave to, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2237(a)(1). In addition, it charges Kemp with unlawfully encouraging or inducing aliens to come to, enter, and reside in the United Sates, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(1)(A)(iv), and re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1326(a).

According to the charging affidavit: On Feb. 9, a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter spotted a 25-foot go-fast boat about three nautical miles west of Bimini, Bahamas. The cutter followed the boat as it traveled (in the dark and with its lights off) from Bahamian and through international waters. Once the boat entered U.S. territorial waters, a CBP Air and Maritime Operations vessel approached. Agents activated the CBP vessel’s lights and siren and commanded the go-fast boat drivers to stop. The boat kept going, despite these and further commands, as well as warning shots. CBP had to disable the go-fast boat to get it to stop.

The affidavit also says that on boarding the boat, CBP agents found 22 aliens: Norelus at the helm and Kemp in the first mate seat, accompanied by 12 Chinese nationals, seven Haitian nationals, and one Jamaican national. Biometrics testing and other checks showed that no one on the go-fast boat had permission or authorization to enter the United States on the date of the interdiction. They also showed that Kemp had been previously removed from the United States in July 2024.

Defendants were arrested, charged, and will remain in federal detention pending trial. The other 20 aliens were returned to the Bahamas, where the journey began.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami is investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), 7th Coast Guard District provided valuable assistance in this matter. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting it.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20255.

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