CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix native who put the cocaine into the coconut — instead of the lime — was given 8.5 years in prison.
Kareme Holst, 46, currently a resident of Colorado, was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Holst was also was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1,000.00. He pleaded guilty on August 25, 2022.
According to court documents, on October 18, 2021, Holst was a ticketed passenger on an American Airlines flight from St. Croix to Miami, Florida.
During his pre-boarding inspection at the Henry Rohlsen Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
officers discovered approximately three kilograms of cocaine hidden in jars of coconut packed in Holst’s luggage.
Officers also found bags of cocaine concealed in the pockets of clothing pack in Holst’s suitcase.
When interviewed, Holst admitted that the luggage belonged to him and that he packed each bag.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.