Homeland Security Task Force: Dual Dominican and French National Admits Role in Firearms Trafficking Scheme

DIMITRI BEIX, 28, a Dominican and French citizen and resident of Dominica, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to an offense related to his role in the illegal trafficking and export of firearms and firearm components from the United States to Dominica. U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan; Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Special Agent in Charge James Guanci of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Grimming of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England; Acting Inspector in Charge J. Buck Buckley of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco, ATF Boston Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Demeo of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, made the announcement. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least January 2021 through September 2024, Beix led a scheme to smuggle firearms, firearm components, and ammunition from the U.S. to Dominica without first having obtained the required licenses or authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. Beix used a network of suppliers, buyers, and shippers in Connecticut and elsewhere in the U.S. to facilitate his illicit procurement of firearms. Beix provided to his U.S. suppliers a list of firearm parts to purchase on his behalf via eBay and other retailers. Beix, using his own eBay accounts, also purchased more than 100 firearm parts himself and had the items shipped to individuals in the United States. Firearms and parts were then shipped to Beix in Dominica. In February 2023, Dominica authorities intercepted three parcels shipped from the U.S. to Beix in Dominica. The parcels contained six handguns, Glock slides, trigger assemblies, sight assemblies, rifle magazines, pistol magazines, AM15 rifle parts, a suppressor kit, ammunition, and other firearm components. Beix pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Beix has been detained since November 27, 2024, when he was arrested in Sint Maarten at the request of the United States. He was extradited to the United States in February 2026. This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. HSI Caribbean, the Dominica Customs Excise Division, and the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force have assisted the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Sean P. Mahard, and Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Sint Maarten authorities provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition to the United States. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.