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Crime/Police

Oleanvine Maynard Honours DEA Deal –  What Awaits Her in Terms of Sentencing?

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Oleanvine Maynard, former Managing Director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, fulfilled her deal with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, providing compelling testimony to help secure the conviction of former Premier Andrew Fahie on charges related to drugs and money laundering.

The burning question on everyone’s mind is what will her sentence be now that the federal authorities have won their case against Fahie.

Maynard was the key witness in the prosecution’s case against Fahie, who faced charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to launder a substantial amount of money.

Over the course of  two days – February 6 and 7 – the sixty-one-year-old testified for more than six hours, detailing the plan involving her son, Kadeem Maynard, and Fahie to exploit the territory as a transshipment port for a Mexican drug cartel.

Maynard, who was heard on secret recording stating she intended to use the proceeds to settle her mortgage in the British Virgin Islands, has been held in police custody for nearly two years. Her arrest took place on April 28, 2022 by DEA agents at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.

On that particular day, Fahie, who concurrently held the position of leader within the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), was apprehended, causing astonishment amongst Virgin Islanders, including loyal party backers, and Caribbean leaders. 

He was subsequently released on bail.

While the ex-Premier, under the scrutiny of an ankle monitor, resided with his daughters in a Florida apartment and collaborated with his legal team on his case, Maynard, along with her son Kadeem, who was arrested in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands in April 2022, and later deported to the mainland, remained in federal custody.

And in November 2023, more than a year after their arrest,  the two Maynards struck a deal with federal authorities to avoid a court trial and evade lengthy sentences.

Kadeem received a fifty-seven-month jail sentence for his involvement in the drug conspiracy. However, prosecutors repeatedly delayed his mother’s sentencing, moving it from November to early January, and subsequently to mid-January.

It became evident that the outcome of her agreement hinged significantly on her testimony against Fahie.

Prosecutors constructed a robust case, relying on evidence derived from covert meetings and encoded conversations and the testimony of a DEA agent. They presented secret recordings and revealed information extracted from Fahie’s phones.

According to the testimony of the DEA agent, the agreement involved transporting the drugs through the territory in exchange for Fahie receiving an initial payment of $500,000 in cash and a percentage of the profits from subsequent drug sales.

On the day of their apprehension, the pair was present at the Miami airport to examine Fahie’s $500,000 payment and an additional $200,000 for Maynard. The plan was for the cash to be flown to Tortola on a private jet.

Maynard’s testimony linked all the elements, extending from the initial encounter with the undercover agent posing as a drug cartel member and the receipt of bribes to the elaborate plans to traffic substantial amounts of cocaine through the territory.

In Fahie’s defence, he contended that he was being set up by the United Kingdom, asserting that he believed the undercover agent was a participant in a scheme to overthrow him. His lawyer argued that his intentions were to take action against the drug cartel.

On Thursday, February 8, the jurors deliberated for a mere four hours before arriving at their decision. Fahie was guilty. He was handcuffed and taken into custody until his sentencing date on April 29.

The story of Maynard’s transformation from government official to inmate to prosecution’s star witness has been extensively chronicled in various articles by the international media.

Her next court day is expected to be her sentencing hearing, where the question looms: will she, too, be handed a 57-month sentence, or receive a more lenient outcome for fulfilling her part of the deal?

Crime/Police

Man Detained in Alleged Break-In, Police Notified

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A man believed to be mentally challenged was apprehended yesterday, May 8, for allegedly breaking and entering. While it is unclear whose property was involved or when the incident occurred, a voice in the video of the encounter is heard saying, “You hungry, ask for food, you don’t break into people’s houses.”

JTV understands that the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force has been made aware of the matter. Further details will be provided as they become available.

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Crime/Police

Jamari Scatliffe Charged in Free Bottom Nightclub Shooting

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A 22-year-old man has been charged in connection with a late-night shooting outside a popular nightclub in Free Bottom. Following reports of gunfire in the area on Monday, April 28, 2024, officers arrested Jamari Scatliffe of John’s Hole, who now faces charges of possession of a firearm with intent to put another in fear, unlawful possession of explosives, and attempted robbery.

According to initial reports, officers responded to the scene shortly after 1:45 a.m., where two masked individuals allegedly approached a group near the nightclub, prompting one person to flee inside. The masked assailants then fired several rounds before escaping.

A subsequent search of the area recovered eight spent shell casings, including five .223 caliber and three .40 caliber rounds.

Acting Commissioner of Police Jacqueline Vanterpool commended the swift action by officers, stressing the department’s commitment to public safety.

“Gun violence has no place in our community,” Vanterpool said. “The swift action by officers to investigate and bring charges in this matter reflects our continued commitment to ensuring public safety. We thank those who have already come forward and continue to urge anyone with information to do the right thing.”

The RVIPF is encouraging anyone with information related to this or other crimes to contact the RVIPF Intelligence Unit at 368-9339, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 or from overseas at (284) 800-8477.

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Crime/Police

Three Years After Fatal Shooting, Suspect Reportedly Apprehended in USVI

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Erick Rabsatt, the 24-year-old man wanted in connection with the December 2021 fatal shooting of Jaimez A. Stoutt in the British Virgin Islands, is reportedly in custody in the United States Virgin Islands.

A source close to the matter has confirmed that Rabsatt is currently being held in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and is awaiting processing to be extradited to the British Virgin Islands to face charges in the case. No official statements have yet been released by authorities in either jurisdiction regarding the detention.

Stoutt, 31, was shot and killed inside Crystal’s Nightclub in Free Bottom, Tortola, on December 11, 2021. He was transported to Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital, where he later died. The incident occurred in the early morning hours and was followed by a police investigation that identified Rabsatt as the primary suspect. An arrest warrant was issued, and authorities launched a manhunt that extended across both the British and United States Virgin Islands.

Stoutt was a former U.S. Army soldier who served in Afghanistan in 2011. After returning to the British Virgin Islands, he worked at CCT Global Communications before founding his own landscaping business, Military Cutz. He was also known for his involvement in local basketball leagues.

Following the incident, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force issued appeals to the public for assistance in locating Rabsatt and circulated his photo throughout the region.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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