Dieuseul Mompremier, 44, also known as “Jomei,” a Haitian national living on St. Thomas, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal district court for his role in a conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States, a plot that resulted in the death of eight individuals, U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced.

Mompremier, who has been incarcerated since his arrest on April 11, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 25 before District Judge Curtis V. Gomez.

According to court records, in December 2010, Mompremier, Lamorthe Delva and Roro Edourre conspired with each other and additional co-conspirators to smuggle illegal aliens from St. Maarten to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. On Dec. 5, 2010, Edourre was the captain on the vessel Jesus La, with approximately 33 passengers aboard, most of them Haitian nationals, including men, women and children. While Edourre was transporting the illegal aliens west, Mompremier and Delva waited in the U.S. Virgin Islands to pick up and transport the aliens upon their arrival in St. John.

The U.S. Coast Guard spotted the vessel carrying Edourre and his passengers and attempted to intercept it. While Edourre attempted to evade the Coast Guard, Jesus La ran aground and sank near Tortola, resulting in the death of at least eight individuals, including four children.

Mompremier faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to Sharpe, Delva pleaded guilty May 23 for his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing, and Edourre, who was arrested and prosecuted in the British Virgin Islands for manslaughter, is serving a 10-year prison sentence.

Sharpe commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim L. Chisholm, who prosecuted the case.