John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A native of the Dominican Republic admitted that he tried to smuggle at least 121 pounds of cocaine in a vehicle on a car barge into the territory.
Reynaldo Lerburds, 41, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Curtis V. Gomez, to conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said.
Sentencing is set for December 6, 2018.
According, to the plea agreement, Lerburds was stopped by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) based upon information that Lerburds was coming from St. John on the car barge in a vehicle that contained a distribution
quantity of cocaine.
Lerburds was apprehended after departing the car barge, and DEA agents confiscated 50 brick-like objects of a white powdery substance.
The white powdery substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 55 kilograms.
Lerburds faces a sentence of not less than 10 years or more than life and a fine of $10,000,000.00.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD).
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid Tejo-Sprotte.
