CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Two men busted in a cocaine trafficking operation at Havensight Mall have been given 3.5 years in prison by a federal judge.
Jose Solano, 53, and Andrew Wilson, 49, were sentenced to 42 months incarceration after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Solano and Wilson were ordered to serve those prison terms by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Molloy.
According to court documents, on October 13, 2021, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
confidential source arranged for the purchase of 25 kilograms of cocaine at a cost of $312,000.00
from Solano.
On October 14, 2021, agents and the confidential source arrived at the Havensight Mall in St. Thomas, the agreed-upon location of the exchange.
Matthew Hazel, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and a BVI “Belonger,” was sentenced to nine years in prison by a British Virgin Islands court in May of 2017 for the attempted murder of an off-duty police officer and an attempted armed robbery outside CIBC First Caribbean Bank in Road Town, Tortola.
Just after 4:00 p.m., agents observed Solano arrive in a black Toyota Tacoma. Solano parked in the area between the Smoking Rooster and the post office, next to where the source was located. Solano then exited the Tacoma a short time later.
A black Honda Civic arrived, driven by Thomas with Wilson in the front passenger seat. Thomas and Wilson parked in the vicinity of Solano’s vehicle; both exited the vehicle and congregated around both the Honda and the Tacoma for about 45 minutes to an hour, according to a USAO news release.
“During that time, federal agents observed Wilson on his phone several times, while pacing through the parking lot. Agents also observed Wilson using hand gestures to direct a dark colored Jeep Wrangler and black G35 Infiniti to his location in the Havensight Mall parking lot.”
The two cars — the Jeep, followed by the Infiniti — arrived on scene around 4:45 p.m.
The Jeep, a dark-colored Wrangler, was driven by Ashton. After Ashton parked the Jeep in the same area, agents observed Thomas and Wilson approach the Jeep and talk with Ashton.
Moments later, the black G35 Infiniti sedan, which bore no license plate, joined the group. The Infiniti was driven by Hazel, and Jenel Smith was in the back seat, according to a USAO news release.
“Agents observed Thomas and Wilson approach Hazel and converse with him. Moments later, agents observed Hazel exit the G35 Infiniti as the trunk of the vehicle sprung open. Agents then observed Thomas, Hazel, and the source at the rear of the G35 looking into the trunk. Moments later, agents observed Hazel close the trunk as the source gave a signal to the agents, confirming the presence of kilograms of suspected cocaine to be present within the G35 Infinity,” according to a USAO news release.
Agents arrested Solano, Thomas, Wilson, Ashton, Hazel and Smith, who were later transported to the DEA St. Thomas Resident Office for processing. After the arrest, agents recovered approximately 25 brick-like packages of suspected cocaine from the trunk of the G35 Infinity and a loaded Walther Arms PPX semi-automatic handgun, which authorities say Hazel was sitting on in the driver’s seat.
Agents also recovered a second loaded semi-automatic handgun from the Jeep Wrangler, which was located underneath the steering wheel. An additional loaded Glock firearm was also recovered.
All total, agents recovered approximately 25 bricks of cocaine from the trunk of Solano’s G35 Infiniti.
The suspected cocaine was laboratory tested and determined to be cocaine with a net weight of approximately 25.11 kilograms (55 pounds).
Ashton and Thomas-Leveret also pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD).