Trinidad and Tobago national extradited to US to serve 12 years

A Trinidad and Tobago national has been extradited to the US to serve a 12-year sentence for a gang assault in New York in 1998.

He was identified as Kim Maharaj.

Maharaj’s appeal to the TT courts was dismissed, ending five years of legal challenges.

In 1998 Maharaj assaulted a store owner by punching him in the face while two other people held the victim. In 2000 he was tried and convicted, to be sentenced in 2001.

However, he did not appear for sentencing.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with five years of mandatory post-release supervision for second-degree assault, and seven years for second-degree gang assault. The sentences were to run concurrently. A warrant for his arrest was also issued in New York.

In 2016 he was arrested in TT on a DUI charge, when authorities realised he was wanted in the US.

US marshals and Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agents assigned to the regional security office at the US Embassy, Port of Spain, escorted Maharaj from Port of Spain to the US.

US Customs and Border protection (CBP), the FBI and the US Justice Department’s office of International Affairs also played critical roles in the extradition.

US Ambassador Candace Bond commended the Attorney General’s office, TT’s Customs and Immigration the Airports Authority and Interpol for their roles in this arrest and extradition.

“This latest extradition underscores the effectiveness and excellent results of the ongoing diplomatic and law enforcement cooperation between the US and TT.”