CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Dominican Republic native who fled the territory has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for his role in a 2019 case involving a shootout with federal agents at Haulover Bay on St. John.
Joan Morales Nolasco, 37, of Santo Domingo, was sentenced to 101 months of imprisonment by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
In March 2022, Nolasco pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Smith said.
According to court documents and evidence presented at co-defendant Samuel Pena
Columna’s trial, on September 25, 2019, Nolasco’s was involved in a shootout with several U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Interdiction agents.
On the evening of September 25, 2019, Nolasco and three co-conspirators was driven by Pena Columna to Haulover Bay, a well-known drug smuggling area on the east end of St. John. Nolasco, with over $1.1 million to conduct a 100 kilograms cocaine transaction with traffickers from Tortola, BVI.
After arriving at the trail in Haulover Bay, Nolasco and co-defendant Rammer Guerrero-Morales headed down the trail. Nolasco was armed with the long gun and Guerrero-Morales was armed with a handgun.
Trial testimony further revealed that, after confirming that the trail was clear, Nolasco and Guerrero-Morales had planned to signal for the other co-conspirators waiting in Pena Columna’s vehicle to bring the $1.1 in cash down the trial while Pena Columna waited at the top of the trail with the car.
On their way down to the trail, however, Nolasco and Guerrero-Morales encountered two CBP agents who immediately announced themselves as police. The agents were fired upon by
Guerrero-Morales and a shootout ensued leaving one agent with gunshot wounds to his shoulder and leg. Guerrero-Morales was also severely wounded which resulted in the loss of his leg.
During the shootout, Nolasco fled the scene and ultimately made his way to the Dominican Republic. He was later extradited back to the territory for prosecution.
Further trial evidence revealed that Pena Columna and the two remaining co-conspirators also fled the scene. Pena Columna later told federal agents that he took the two men, along with the over $1.1 million dollars, near the Cruz Bay area where they escaped.
