Estanislao De Jesus, 47, of the Dominican Republic, is headed to federal prison for 41 months after admitting to orchestrating a six-kilo cocaine delivery to St. Thomas. The conviction, handed down by District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez, marks a direct hit in the ongoing battle against offshore drug networks exploiting the U.S. Virgin Islands as a transit point.
Judge Gomez also ordered De Jesus to serve four years of supervised release following his prison term. In addition, he must pay a $100 special assessment and complete 300 hours of community service — penalties that underscore the seriousness of the crime despite no prior federal convictions.
The plot unraveled on May 7, 2016, when U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents intercepted De Jesus and co-defendant Tomas Liriano-Castillo at Hull Bay, St. Thomas. De Jesus was waiting onshore when Liriano-Castillo arrived by boat from Tortola, carrying the narcotics. Both men were taken into custody without incident, but the seizure exposed a calculated smuggling run.
According to the plea agreement, De Jesus admitted he knew Liriano-Castillo had traveled to Tortola specifically to retrieve cocaine for street-level distribution in St. Thomas. The six kilograms of cocaine, worth hundreds of thousands on the street, represented a major score — and a major risk for those involved.
The investigation was a joint effort between the DEA and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Their collaboration dismantled the operation before the drugs could flood local markets, potentially fueling addiction and violence across the territory.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid Tejo-Sprotte prosecuted the case. Liriano-Castillo’s sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2017. Authorities say the conviction sends a clear message: the U.S. Virgin Islands is not a safe corridor for international drug traffickers.
Related Federal Cases
- Carmelo Cruz-Velez Sentenced in Cocaine Smuggling Plot · Puerto Rico
- Jose Luis Pacheco-Montes Gets 46 Months for Cocaine Scheme · Puerto Rico
- St. Croix Man Gets 5 Years for Crack Cocaine Distribution · U.S. Virgin Islands
- Nolly King, Thaddeus Hendricks Sentenced in Crack Cocaine Scheme · U.S. Virgin Islands
- Four Smugglers Charged in 1,535-Kilo Cocaine Bust · U.S. Virgin Islands
Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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