CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A native of the Dominican Republic got a light sentence for smuggling illegal migrants into the territory.
Danny Dennevil, alias “Danny Dorcine-Turnbull,” 34, of Santo Domingo, was given just 92 days in prison following his guilty plea to the charge of illegally bringing aliens to the United States, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said today.
Dennevil was handed that sentence by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert A. Molloy in St. Thomas.
According to court documents, on September 25, 2024, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents were patrolling United States waters in the area of Leinster Bay, St. John, when they observed a small vessel traveling from the British Virgin Islands towards Leinster Bay without navigational lights, as required by law.
Agents observed the vessel, operated by Dennevil, arrive at Leinster Bay and two individuals disembarked. Agents intercepted Dennevil’s vessel as he attempted to flee, while agents at Leinster Bay apprehended two Dominican Republic nationals who disembarked the vessel.
Neither individual had legal status to be present in the United States.
When questioned by the agents, Dennevil, himself a Dominican Republic national with Belonger status in the
British Virgin Islands, admitted that he knew that Leinster Bay was not a legal port of entry and that his two passengers were citizens of the Dominican Republic.
The case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and
Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) and the United States Coast Guard.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Payne.