Thursday, 21st November 2024

Cruise runaway extradited to the US from St Kitts

Man located by police in December 2017

Monday, 6th August 2018

Christopher Nile.

A man has been extradited from St Kitts and Nevis to the United States,

Keith Braid, who also goes by Christopher Nile, was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder in Florida.

His criminal proceedings began in September 2016 in Orange Country Court in Florida, and in early September 2017, Braid entered into a plea agreement, pleading no contest to the two charges.

The plea agreement allowed braid to remain free until his sentencing date. However, he did not appear in court on the day of his sentencing in late September 2017.

St Kitts and Nevis police discovered Braid had entered the federation while on a cruise in November 2017. He disembarked the vessel and remained in St Kitts and Nevis. Authorities on board the cruise ship discovered he was missing and made a report to the St Kitts and Nevis authorities. After the issuing of a public bulletin, Braid turned himself in to the Basseterre police station the following day.

Police discovered Braid had travelled under a false name, Christopher Antonio Nile. Once police knew his true identity, they discovered that he was wanted by the US authorities.

The US State department made a provisional request in December 2017 for the extradition of Braid. A formal request was received in April 2018.

An extradition hearing was conducted and Magistrate Reynold Benjamin issued a warrant for the committal of Braid to prison to await extradition.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a warrant for Braid to surrender himself to authorities from the United States.