DEA Special Agent Jerome Harris

Those arrested were reportedly responsible for the trafficking of  large quantities of heroin and cocaine from St Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles, through St Croix to Baltimore, Maryland.

Indicted were; Troy Nesbitt,  31, Travis Thomas, 22, Sylvester Christopher, 35, Dwayne Woodrup, 23,  and Jada Myers,  24, all of St Croix. In addition,  Baltimore resident Renar James was indicted. Christopher and Woodrup were arrested on St Croix and detained.

Nesbitt and Thomas were arrested in Baltimore, and were detained in that juristiction. James was taken into custody, and had not posted bond at press time. Myers  was arrested in the state of California,  and has since posted bond. One fugitive remains at large.

The year- long investigation was a coordinated effort among DEA offices located on St Croix, the City of Baltimore and the Caribbean Division, Foreign Operations Group, and the VIPD.

Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) Gene Hawk stated that this was the first phase of an ongoing investigation, and stressed the critical nature of the team work among the various law enforcement agencies. Hawk cited in particular, the willingness of VIPD Commissioner Lewis to allocate additional manpower and resources to the case.

US Attorney Jerkins emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt, and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until guilt is established in a court of law.

RAC Hawk also said that since many of the facts of the case occured in the Baltimore, MD.area, the case would be heard in the US Court for the District of Maryland.