Agents conducted a consensual search of Lerburds’ vehicle and found approximately 50 brick-like objects of a white powdery substance. The white powdery substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 50 kilograms. Photo: VI Consortium

Judge Gomez sentenced Lerburds to 87 months followed by five years of supervised release and ordered that Lerburds pay a $100 special assessment.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Lerburds was travelling from St. John to St. Thomas on the car barge and that the vehicle he was driving contained cocaine.

Duffle bags

The following day, DEA Agents stopped Lerburds after he was observed driving a Suzuki vehicle off the car barge. When agents approached Leburds, they observed several large duffle bags in the rear of the vehicle.

Agents conducted a consensual search of Lerburds’ vehicle and found approximately 50 brick-like objects of a white powdery substance. The white powdery substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 50 kilograms.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virgin Islands Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.