Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 19, 2016 News
Two years after being stopped by US airport officials with US$35,000 in cash and later facing charges
relating to cocaine trafficking conspiracy, a Guyanese man is now facing up to nine years in jail.
According to court documents filed earlier this month in a New York court, Vilton Bourne, on August 18, 2015, pleaded guilty, via a plea agreement, to conspiring to import cocaine into the US.
The documents explained that the defendant participated in a cocaine importation conspiracy in which persons imported cocaine from a Guyanese supplier. The cocaine was disguised as various food items. In conversations, the persons involved in the conspiracy would refer to the cocaine as gold.
Bourne was said to be a facilitator of couriers for the conspiracy. He was also involved in smuggling cash to Guyana. In February 2014, the defendant attempted to board a flight from JFK to Guyana carrying US$35,577 in his suitcases and on his person.
According to court documents, after being advised of the currency reporting regulations and asked to complete a reporting form, the defendant declared that he was transporting only US$9,000. Law enforcement recovered the additional currency and found a scale in one of the defendant’s suitcases.
Law enforcement agents subsequently arrested the defendant. In post-arrest statements, the defendant admitted that a supplier offered him US$1000 to pick up a courier from JFK in November 2013, and he knew that the courier was bringing in drugs or money and
“something was up.”
The defendant also admitted to being aware of the currency reporting requirements and under-reporting, and stated that the scale in his suitcase was used by a friend of his to weigh gold.
The drugs were also taken from Trinidad and transported on one occasion in eight boxes containing Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes.
The court documents said that investigators retrieved numerous WhatsApp messages between Bourne and a courier.
On another occasion, in September 2013, a male courier went on his first trip to Guyana, retrieved a suitcase from a supplier, and brought it back to the United States.
The defendant followed this male courier on the flight back from Guyana, met with the courier in the arrivals area of John F. Kennedy International Airport, and retrieved the suitcase.
A few months later, in January 2014, the defendant assisted in making arrangements for the courier to make a second trip to Guyana.
Bourne took the courier to JFK to purchase a ticket and then took him home afterwards. A few days later, around the time of the courier’s departure for the second trip, the defendant sent another co-conspirator a text message stating, “Hopeful they let him on.”
There were indications that Bourne and co-conspirators monitored the couriers as they boarded the flights to Guyana.
Prosecutors said that Bourne’s total offense level is 29, which according to sentencing guidelines ranges between 87-108 months, in terms of jail time.
“Such a term of incarceration would reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes, promote respect for the law, provide adequate deterrence to the defendant and to others contemplating similar acts, and be sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to achieve the purposes set forth in 18 U.S.C.”
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
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