Haiti Missionary Leader to Stand Trial
Criminal association and Kidnapping charges have been dropped against the 10 U.S. Christians who attempted to get Haitian Children out of the country into an orphanage.
But, on Monday, Judge Benard Saint-Vil said that Laura Silsby, the leader of the group, is still facing a charge of arranging irregular travel and will have a trial in Haiti.
Silsby, who is still in jail in Haiti, could possibly face up to three years in prison if found guilty.
On April 15, a spokesman for Idaho Sen. Jim Risch said the senator was told by the State Specialty that the nine volunteers no longer faced any charges, but last week, Judge Saint-Vil said he had yet to make a choice at that time.
The volunteers traveled to Haiti after the earthquake and tried to take Haitian Children to an orphanage they were setting up in the next country but were arrested on Jan 29 and charged with kidnapping and criminal association.
The volunteers said all they wanted to do was help the children who lost their parents after the earthquake but they were without the proper paperwork and many of the children really had at least one living parent.
In February and March, nine of the volunteers were allowed to return home.
According to the Linked Press, Jean Sainvil, a Haitian-born pastor from Atlanta who also helped organize the venture, will stand trial along with Silsby. The trial is expected to start as early as this week.