A former Green Beret and his Venezuelan sidekick were arrested Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and violating the Export Control Reform Act, as well as violating the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of machine guns.
Jordan Goudreau, 48, of Melbourne, Florida was a principal in the 2020 failed cross-border raid by a ragtag group of irregulars known as "Bay of Piglets" which which was promptly suppressed by the Venezuelan military. The failed coup resulted in the capture of two former American soldiers and 47 Venezuelans. Six participants were executed.
Earlier this year, Goudreau's main partner in the would-be coup, Cliver Alcalá, a retired three-star Venezuelan army general, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to more than two decades for providing weapons to drug-funded rebels in an unrelated case.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2019, Goudreau, and Yacsy Alvarez, 43, of Tampa, Florida, and others conspired to export AR-type firearms, night vision devices, laser sights and other equipment from the United States to Colombia, without obtaining the required export licenses.
Goudreau, Alvarez and their co-conspirators procured firearms and military-related equipment through Goudreau’s Melbourne-based company, Silvercorp, and exported those items to Colombia, where some of the items were seized by the Colombia National Police.
The indictment further alleges that Goudreau unlawfully possessed machineguns and unregistered silencers.
If convicted, Goudreau and Alvarez face five years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison for smuggling, 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and 10 years in prison for each violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a machinegun.
The indictment also notifies Goudreau and Alvarez that the United States intends to forfeit firearms and other military equipment, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
Goudreau's firm Silvercorp provides "governments and corporations with realistic and timely solutions to irregular problems" according to the company website.
October 2020 reporting on the conspiracy by The Miami Herals
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