John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Croix man can expect a minimum 10-year prison term after admitting in federal court to supplying a drug mule with at least 50 pounds of cocaine at the St. Thomas airport, authorities said.
Jakwaan Sweeney, Jr., 21, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. Sweeney made that plea before U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez.
According to court records, on September 24, 2018, Sweeney provided Shahime Ludvig, Jr. with 22.78 kilos of cocaine at the Cyril E. King Airport and a plane ticket to Atlanta.
The cocaine was packaged as 20 individual bricks and placed in a checked bag. Once in Atlanta, the co-conspirator was to deliver the cocaine to another member of the cocaine conspiracy.
On the day of travel, Sweeney’s co-conspirator entered the Cyril E. King Airport and checked the bag for the flight. During a routine screening, a specially trained narcotics detection canine “alerted” on the bag.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in St. Thomas opened the bag and discovered the cocaine. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Ludvig prior to him boarding the flight.
Ludvig, 22,of St. Thomas entered a guilty plea in federal court in 2018.
Under federal law, Sweeney faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard Potter.
