CHRISTIANSTED – A 46-year-old commercial deep sea diver on St. Croix has admitted in federal court to bringing 192 pounds of cocaine here, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Daniel Santiago-Colon pleaded guilty on Monday in U.S. District Court in Golden Rock to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe said.

On November 13, 2015, Santiago-Colon and other co-defendants, who were on a boat, retrieved a load of cocaine mid-sea from another boat. They transported the drugs to St. Croix and offloaded them at a beach called Knight’s Bay.

Law enforcement tracked the boat to St. Croix and apprehended three co-defendants on the beach in close proximity to suitcases, containing 87 kilograms of cocaine. Two of the three co-defendants, Gamalier Rohlsen-Arizmendi and Alejandro Marva-Romero have entered guilty pleas.

The third co-defendant is awaiting a trial scheduled for October 31, 2016.

Santiago-Colon faces up to life imprisonment for the offense and a fine of up to $10,000,000. A sentencing date has been set for January 18, 2017.

A post on the Internet says that Santiago-Colon was a member of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council on St. Croix and that his area of expertise was diving.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr.

http://www.caribbeanfmc.com/meetings/CFMC%20MEETINGS/154_cfmc_regular_meeting_December_2015_STT/154th%20BB/DAP-STX%20INFORMATION%20TABLE.pdf