Grenada Man Rodney de Roche Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy

Grenada Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy

Grenada man Rodney de Roche, 39, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, announced United States Attorney Delia L. Smith.

According to court documents, on November 15, 2023, the United States Coast Guard intercepted a vessel approximately 116 nautical miles west of Fort de France, Martinique, a known drug trafficking area. On board the vessel, officers observed multiple packages tied to sandbags being thrown overboard.

One of the packages recovered from the ocean contained 32 kilograms of cocaine. De Roche was one of six individuals found on the vessel. The master of the vessel claimed Grenadian nationality for the vessel and the Government of Grenada granted a waiver of jurisdiction for the case and waived objection to the enforcement of United States laws.

“This conviction demonstrates our commitment to disrupting and dismantling transnational organized crime groups,” said U.S. Attorney Smith. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring those responsible to justice and hold them accountable for their actions.”

De Roche faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for his conviction. His sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2024. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced the conviction, marking another victory in the fight against transnational crime.

Rodney de Roche, 39, of Grenada, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States.

The Government of Grenada granted a waiver of jurisdiction for the case and waived objection to the enforcement of United States laws.