FORMER youth football director Shem Alexander has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago.

Alexander is the former managing director of Gateway Athletics, which managed the Republic Cup national youth football league between 2022 and 2024. He also coached at MIC Matura United and Hillview College. He was one of five defendants who admitted involvement in the case. The US Attorney's Office said the group concealed pistols, revolvers, a shotgun, AR-15 components, ammunition, and magazines inside two punching bags shipped to Piarco in April 2021.

US prosecutors had previously described the 35-year-old as the leader of a transnational criminal group, but the plea agreement reduced his possible sentence to a maximum of five years.