CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas native residing in Florida has pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking in a federal court, authorities said.
Ahkoi Smith, 24, admitted his guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Smith’s sentencing hearing is schedule for December 1, 2023. He he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, not less than three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of
$1,000,000.00.
According to court documents, on January 11, 2023, Smith was a ticketed passenger on a Spirit Airlines flight from St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
On that day, Smith entered the restroom near the concession area of the Cyril E. King Airport where he took possession of two bricks of cocaine from a Shakari Francis, a Cape Air employee.
Federal agents approached Smith as he attempted to board his flight after which Smith threw his backpack containing the two bricks of cocaine to the tarmac and ran onto the active runway. Smith was immediately apprehended by federal agents and placed under arrest.
On June 26, 2023, Francis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 6, 2023.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard Potter.
The prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.