U.S. Courts and Justice

Joly Germine, a Haitian gang leader, was sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating the kidnapping of 16 American missionaries, with most victims — including a 6-year-old, a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old — held for about 62 days before they escaped. Germine, who was transferred to U.S. custody from Haiti in May 2022 after an arrest warrant, was also fined $1,700, and prosecutors and victims, including Ray Noecker whose wife and five children were among the hostages, delivered impact statements.