Mourners during Haiti President Jovenel Moise Funeral
Mourners attend the funeral of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on July 23, 2021, in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, the main city in his native northern region. - Moïse, 53, was shot dead in his home in the early hours of July 7. VALERIE BAERISWYL/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday charged the second prime suspect in the assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise.

The department identified the individual as Haitian-Chilean Rodolphe Jaar, Associated Press reported. Jaar was known to be a former U.S. government informant and a businessman. Before Moise's killing, Jaar was previously convicted in South Florida on charges of conspiring to smuggle cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela. Court records show that he was sentenced to nearly four years in prison.

In connection to Jovenel Moise's assassination, Al Jazeera reported that Jaar was charged with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States.

The former U.S. government informant was also charged with "providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending such material support would be used to prepare or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap" in connection to the assassination of the Haiti president.

Jaar is set to appear on the court on January 26. In that hearing, Jaar's attorney could request for him to be freed on a bond, although prosecutors oppose the said move. The former U.S. informant was expected to have an arraignment hearing on February 3.

If convicted with charges issued against him, Jaar could face life imprisonment.

Justice Department: 2nd Key Suspect Provided Firearms

The U.S. Justice Department accused Jaar of providing weapons to the former Colombian soldiers that assassinated the Haitian president.

"Jaar was responsible for providing weapons to the Colombian co-conspirators to facilitate carrying out the operation," the department said.

Jaar was also suspected of communicating with an unidentified suspect and others as they hid from the law enforcement authorities after Moise's assassination. The Justice Department highlighted that several of the Colombian co-conspirators stayed on a residence controlled Jaar while hiding from the authorities.

Furthermore, Jaar was also believed to be present when an unidentified suspect acquired a signature from a former judge in a bid to illegally arrest the late Haiti President Jovenel Moise.

According to reports, the unnamed co-conspirator is described as a dual Haitian-American who traveled from Haiti to the U.S. to help in laying the plan related to Jovenel Moise. The said co-conspirator, named "co-conspirator #1," is currently in custody in Haiti.

In an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Jaar said that the operation related to Jovenel Moise changed from an arrest operation to assassination when their initial plan to capture the Haiti president at the airport and take him "away by plane did not go forward."

Other Key Suspect in Haiti President Jovenel Moise Killing

Jaar was the second key suspect in the assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise. It can be recalled that earlier in January, the Justice Department accused former Colombian military officer Mario Antonio Palacios of "conspiracy to commit murder or kidnaping" outside the United States.

Authorities noted that both Jaar and Palacios voluntarily agreed to face charges in the United States.

It can be recalled that more than 40 suspects, including 19former Colombian soldiers, were arrested and detained after the Haiti president was killed in his home in Port-au-Prince on July 7 last year.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Moise Assassination May Be Linked to What He Knew About Haitian Drugs, Arms Trafficking - From PBS NewsHour