Raymond Neil Smith, a known successful entrepreneur in Brevard County’s construction industry, has now plead guilty as the ringleader in a human smuggling case unfolding in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. As the owner of G&G Roofing, a multi-million dollar enterprise, Smith carefully cultivated an image of a hardworking family man devoted to his craft and his children. In a 2019 Space Coast Living interview, Smith was painted as a loving father who shared his passion for hunting and fishing with his children, attributing his strong work ethic to values instilled by his parents.
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However, beneath this well-crafted persona, Smith’s reality was far darker. Him and his significant other are both active registered Republicans, as tensions about border security are at the forefront of this upcoming election. According to court documents, Smith orchestrated a human smuggling operation involving the trafficking of at least 98 migrants, including unaccompanied children. His actions, which contradict the wholesome image he projected, reveal a man driven by greed and willing to exploit the most vulnerable individuals for personal profit.
Smith’s troubles began on February 29, 2024, when officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted a routine maritime safety inspection of his 42-foot Yellowfin vessel. During the inspection, officers discovered 25 Haitian migrants hidden on the deck of the boat, which was a clear violation of U.S. immigration laws. A subsequent investigation revealed that Smith had conducted at least six smuggling trips between July 2023 and February 2024.
Backyard of Raymond Smith’s $1.8 million Rockledge Home where law enforcement watched him commit human smuggling operations.
Smith’s smuggling operations were meticulous and methodical. He coordinated with facilitators in the Bahamas to gather migrants, primarily Haitian nationals, and smuggled them into Brevard County, Florida. The 42-foot Yellowfin and a 2020 42-foot Freeman vessel, valued at an estimated $2 million, were used to ferry the migrants under the cover of night to evade detection. Smith’s known illicit profits from these ventures totaled $284,000, which he attempted to conceal by transferring the money to third parties.
One key figure in Smith’s operation was Michael Andrew Milano. On February 29, 2024, Milano was caught captaining Smith’s Yellowfin vessel with 25 migrants onboard, including five children. The migrants were instructed to lie on the deck to avoid detection. Milano, who pleaded guilty to Bringing Aliens into the United States, was found armed at the time of his arrest. Narcotics were also found on the vessel at the time of the arrest. According to court records, he was acting under Smith’s direction and expected compensation for his role in the operation.
Michael Andrew Milano, 42, who has been charged with 25 counts of human smuggling
The case also revealed that Smith smuggled some of his own employees between Florida and the Bahamas, circumventing U.S. immigration laws. He admitted to transporting undocumented workers, including one who had previously been deported, on his vessels to avoid detection at official ports of entry.
When we originally broke this story revealing Smith’s arrest, we received threatening calls and messages from his significant other, Amanda Colman, demanding the allegations were false, and that we would be sued if we did not delete the article immediately. Amanda featured the Bahama island home Smith plead guilty to transporting his illegal workers to work on emphasizing how proud she was of her “hardworking man.” The Federal Court has now made her responsible for his custody while he is under home incarceration awaiting sentencing. She did not respond to our request for comment.
The stark contrast between Smith’s public image and his criminal actions is striking. In the Space Coast Living interview, Smith emphasized the importance of teaching his children about hard work and family values, reflecting on how his own father taught him the value of a dollar, only later to be charged for smuggling other people’s children into the country without their family for his own financial gain. He also stated he purchased a 500 acre farm However, the reality of his actions reveals a profound hypocrisy. Smith’s involvement in the human smuggling operation, exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit, stands in direct contradiction to the values of integrity and family that he claimed to uphold.
Smith’s Lambo that was the center of a heated Facebook dispute when he hired Darkside Window Tinting to tint the windows then reversed the charges later claiming the price was too high.
Smith pleaded guilty on July 12, 2024, to charges of Conspiracy to Smuggle Aliens and Unlawfully Transporting Aliens. He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 per count. Additionally, the court has issued a preliminary order for the forfeiture of both vessels used in the smuggling operations, as well as the $284,000 in illicit proceeds. Because Smith had already dissipated the funds, the government is authorized to seize substitute assets of equal value.
While the identities of the Bahamian facilitators remain unknown, it is clear from court documents that Smith was the central figure in the smuggling ring.
Here are the details of the 6 trips that Smith admitted to:
You can read Raymond Smith’s entire plea agreement here:
