Deonte Bailey, 24 of Detroit, appeared in District Court Sunday after being arrested Saturday at the Cyril E. King Airport and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Virgin Islands Area Port Director Louis Harrigan announced.
Bailey was detained pending preliminary and detention hearings set for Tuesday.
According to the news report issued by Sharpe’s office, on Saturday in the airport’s baggage claim area, a Customs narcotics dog detected something suspicious in a checked bag belonging to Bailey, who had arrived on a Delta Airlines flight from New York. Bailey was taken to secondary inspection where CBP officers discovered a baggage claim ticket for a second bag. The CBP officers went to the Delta Airlines baggage claim area where a second bag belonging to Bailey was recovered.
CBP Field Operations Officers reported seizing a total of 46 pounds (21.1 kilos) of marijuana from Bailey’s bags.
“CBP officers remain vigilant to detect and seize illegal contraband being illegally brought into our islands,” Harrigan said.
Under federal law, a person convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nelson L. Jones.
