CHRISTIANSTED – A St. Croix man was given two years in prison by a federal judge for trying to smuggle cocaine onto an airplane.
Dimitrous Jefferson, 29, of Mon Bijou, was sentenced on Monday for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Wilma Lewis sentenced Jefferson to twenty-four months in prison, Shappert said.
Judge Lewis also sentenced Jefferson to three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment.
On February 27, 2017, Jefferson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. According to documents filed in court, on May 4, 2016, the defendant and another individual who were employed by Worldwide Flight Services at the Rohlsen Airport, entered the TSA screening area before their scheduled shifts.
Jefferson attempted to pass through the screening area and triggered the metal detector. A search of his person revealed a brick-like package wrapped with gray duct tape strapped to one of his legs.
The other individual also had a similar package strapped to one of his legs. The packages field-tested positive for
cocaine.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI).
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
