Haiti court convicts US missionary in orphan smuggling case

Thu May 20, 2010

The Jurist

A Haitian court on Monday convicted US missionary Laura Silsby of attempting to illegally smuggle 33 Haitian children to the US through the Dominican Republic in the wake of the January 12 earthquake. 

Silsby was found guilty of irregular travel and sentenced to time served during judicial proceedings. At the opening of trial proceedings on Thursday, Haitian prosecutors claimed that Silsby knew she was breaking the law when she attempted to take the children into the Dominican Republic and requested a six-month prison term.

The court agreed with the prosecution's allegations, but denied the request for additional prison time. Silsby has been released and is now permitted to leave the country and return home to Idaho.

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