BUSTED! Virgin Islands Police Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration personnel arrest Reynaldo Lerburds at the to the Red Hook ferry terminal in St. Thomas on April 18.
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to his involvement in a cocaine shipment to St. John and his efforts to conceal his actions from police, according to a press release from United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert.
Michael Leonard, 21, of Pennsylvania made his plea on Tuesday before U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez, to misprision of a felony, Shappert said.
Sentencing is set for November 29, 2018.
The federal definition of misprision requires that, (1) the principal committed and completed the felony alleged; (2) the defendant had knowledge of the commission of the felony; (3) the defendant failed to notify the authorities that the crime had been committed; and (4) the defendant took affirmative steps to conceal the crime.
According to court documents, Leonard traveled with Reynaldo Lerburds and other individuals to a secluded area of St. John and was present when a shipment of cocaine was delivered.
Leonard took steps to help conceal the cocaine and did not make any effort to notify law enforcement of the receipt of the cocaine or his actions in concealing the cocaine.
When Leonard was arrested on April 18, 2018, he failed to inform law enforcement of the receipt of the cocaine or the transport of the cocaine.
Leonard faces a maximum sentence of three years and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid Tejo-Sprotte.