JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CBS12) — Federal prosecutors say a Barrett .50-caliber rifle — an anti-materiel weapon often used by gangs and cartels — was among 23 firearms intercepted in a shipping container bound for Haiti, part of an alleged smuggling scheme involving three Florida residents.
An indictment unsealed Tuesday charges Francesca Charles, 28, a naturalized U.S. citizen; Jacques Pierre, 32; and his brother Jeff Pierre, 34, both Haitian nationals, with conspiracy to smuggle goods, unlawful shipment of firearms, and smuggling goods from the United States. Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Authorities say Dominican Republic officials seized the container in February 2025, uncovering 18 rifles, five handguns, more than 36,000 rounds of ammunition, and a silencer hidden among household goods. Investigators later linked the defendants to at least 20 of the seized firearms, including the Barrett rifle…