Keilin Lopez Lopez, Cocaine Possession with Intent to Distribute, United States Virgin Islands 2020

St. Thomas, USVI – In a shocking turn of events, Keilin Lopez Lopez, a 22-year-old resident of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute approximately 4.6 kilograms of cocaine.

According to court documents, on July 31, 2020 at approximately 6:30 p.m., a Virgin Islands Port Authority employee witnessed a male tampering with a trashcan in a stall in the male restroom located inside the Cyril E. King terminal. Officers removed the trashcan from the wall, revealing an open recess in between both sides of the interior wall. One large, brick-shaped bundle and one small, brick-shaped bundle containing approximately 4.6 kilograms of cocaine was lying at the bottom of the recess where the trashcan was previously inserted.

Airport surveillance footage showed a male, later identified as Keilin Lopez Lopez, wearing a backpack enter the bathroom where the bundles were discovered. Officers located Mr. Lopez who is an employee for a company contracted to work on the Cyril E. King Airport remodel. After being advised of his constitutional rights, Mr. Lopez waived them and stated he removed the trashcan from the wall in the restroom stall and placed the bundles inside the wall.

Lopez faces up to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000,000.00. A sentencing date will be set by the Court. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino.

As part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, this effort aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Keilin Lopez Lopez’s actions have sparked concerns about the security of the Cyril E. King Airport, which serves as a major transportation hub in the USVI. The incident highlights the need for increased vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

The USVI community remains shaken by the news, and many are left wondering how such a large quantity of cocaine was able to be smuggled into the island. As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: the Virgin Islands will not tolerate such brazen acts of cocaine trafficking.

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