US prosecutors reveal more names in push for lengthy sentence for Andrew A. Fahie
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![Kadeem S. Maynard, the son of former BVI Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Pickering-Maynard, was sentenced in a Miami court to 57 months in jail on Monday, November 20, 2023, for his role in a scheme to traffic cocaine from Colombia through the [British] Virgin Islands to the US mainland. Photo: Team of Reporters](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_8_800x_8_800x_8_800x_k_Kadeem_01_01_(1).jpg)
In doing so, prosecutors have named several VI officials – who were not charged as co-conspirators – as participating in the drug trafficking scheme.
Fahie was an ‘organisor or leader’ in conspiracy- US Prosecutors
According to a court document filed June 28, 2024, prosecutors argued that the court should include a 4-level aggravating role adjustment when considering a sentence for Fahie, calling him an “organiser or leader in criminal activity that involved five or more participants.”
They claim that Fahie exercised decision-making authority in the scheme by approving the drug trafficking proposal in the first place, and later, when he instructed convicted co-conspirator Oleanvine Pickering- Maynard and Roxane Sylvester, former Deputy Chair of the BVI Port Authority, to go to Miami to retrieve a purported $500,000 payment he was expecting.
The trip, prosecutors say, was ordered over the objections of Ms Maynard. According to text messages between the two, she was reluctant to go because there would be nobody left in Tortola to sign documents. “Here, again, the defendant wielded his authority and directed Oleanvine Maynard’s international travel to Miami, Florida in furtherance of the cocaine importation scheme,” government prosecutors argue.
Prosecutors also argue that it was Fahie who orchestrated the initial meeting with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s confidential source. At that meeting, he accepted a $20,000 bribe to “seal the arrangements,” according to the court document. Additionally, by ordering Ms Maynard and Ms Sylvester out of a meeting with the DEA source shortly before he was arrested, Fahie established himself as the leader of the drug trafficking scheme, prosecutors stated.
More names called
Mr Fahie is also accused of trying to rope in the Commissioner of HM Customs, Mr Wade N. Smith, into the conspiracy. Prosecutors argued that during a meeting between the former premier and the DEA source, the pair discussed how to “handle” customs officials, with Fahie promising to gain the cooperation of Smith. The next morning, prosecutors say Fahie and Smith spoke for approximately 10 minutes.
Another argument for placing Fahie at the head of the conspiracy to import cocaine into VI waters is that the deal was structured in such a way that the former premier received the lion’s share of the proceeds. Twelve per cent – approximately $7 million after the cost of bribes was subtracted – of the sale of each shipment was supposed to go to Fahie, while Ms Maynard was set to receive 5% and her son Kadeem S. Maynard was not allocated any share at all. If the scheme unfolded like Fahie had planned, with twice monthly shipments for four months, he stood to earn approximately $56 million for letting the waters of the VI be used as a safe harbour in the shipment of cocaine from Colombia through to Puerto Rico and onward to Miami and New York.
An additional accomplice, named only as “Tattoo” in the court documents, would serve as Fahie’s liaison to collect his payments at sea.
Prosecutors argue that Fahie’s willingness to bribe officials and misuse his authority as premier to bend the bureaucracy of the territory to his will “further undermined the public’s trust in the BVI government.”
Apart from the three convicted in the drug trafficking scheme, prosecutors identified an additional four people as unindicted co-conspirators: Sylvester, Smith, an unnamed “handler” of Kadeem S. Maynard’s at the VI airport, and a Senegalese contact of Fahie named Baye Cisse. Mr Cisse was reportedly promised a cash payment of $133,000 after encouraging Fahie to participate in the scheme when asked, while the handler reportedly provided Kadeem S. Maynard with the list of documentation that would be required for the DEA source’s plane to land in the VI.
Fahie may be eligible for life imprisonment
Prosecutors want the 4-level enhancement be added to the 2-level abuse of trust enhancement already included in the pre-sentencing report. The 2-level reduction for a clean prior record; however, should be removed, as the aggravating role adjustment makes Fahie ineligible for this reduction.
If the court agrees with the prosecutors’ assessment of Fahie’s central leadership role in the conspiracy, it would calculate a total offense level of 43, which under federal sentencing guidelines makes Fahie eligible for a sentence of life imprisonment. The sentencing judge; however, is not required to issue a sentence that falls within the guideline range.
Fahie’s lawyers have already asked the court to consider a minimum sentence of 10 years and proposed that credit must be given for time served. Assuming sentencing takes place as currently scheduled, Mr Fahie will have spent an additional 179 days in custody post-conviction before the day of sentencing.
Mr Fahie is scheduled to be sentenced on August 5, 2024.
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39 Responses to “US prosecutors reveal more names in push for lengthy sentence for Andrew A. Fahie”
This was obviously not their first rodeo. Why do you think Andrew was so confident about being able to bribe him? The question is, “how many of his officers were also on payroll?”
Sometimes you really have to cuss them out that try lead you astray but they know who they are working for is pure set up they trying. I have my own list in my mind of fools & suspected entrappers because them people think they will get innocent people involved as a game. This a small place if 50 people have STD or the FED flu you walking past them everyday guaranteed.
I have to agree if the customs boss affirmed then they would plaster it in the paper. My only question is why did fahie think it was something to talk to him about, like maynard saying fahie will go for it when the CI ask if he will.
Between the ex-governor snickering over his rival's demise, and Fahie's debachery at some level there are both USA & UK using laws as politcal tools & set ups to tarnish our BVI reputation for a wider agenda, and simultaneously there are local enable them by tarnishing our reputation themselves.
If 'every one know bout tatoo' guy dont you think the feds know too...??? They let them cause havok and reel them in for political points. Some a them they reel in a release as CI & enable more BS.
We the public pay the cost possible in blood while they screw around. There is no local police force only foreign managment by the UK & USA yet these criminals are let loose to continue.