U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Detroit Man Attempting to Smuggle Marijuana to the Virgin Islands

St. Thomas, USVI – Deonte Bailey, 24, made his initial appearance on January 31, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being charged in a Complaint with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Virgin Islands Area Port Director Louis Harrigan announced. Bailey was detained pending preliminary and detention hearings set for Tuesday, February 2, 2016.

According to the Complaint, on Saturday, January 30, 2016, at the Cyril E. King Airport’s baggage claim area, a CBP K-9 detected narcotics 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 seized 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,” stated Port Director Harrigan.

Under federal law if convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, Bailey 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 (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nelson L. Jones.

United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that a Complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.