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Earl Skelton, conspirators convicted in St. John/St. Thomas drug ring!

- To be sentenced July 12, 2012
Skelton will be sentenced on July 12, 2012. Photo: Facebook
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, USVI – Just before midnight, late Thursday evening April 5, 2012, a jury handed down guilty verdicts in the federal case against four defendants, including Virgin Islander Earl Skelton, who were charged with allegedly operating a complex cocaine and crack ring on St. Thomas and St. John, in the United States Virgin Islands.

According to a report in the Virgin Islands Daily News, after a four-day trial, the jury presented the verdict to District Court Judge Curtis Gomez at 11:30 p.m. on April 5 - five hours after jurors had requested to go home and return the next day.

Apart from Skelton, the jury convicted Jerome Potter of St. John, James Stephens of St. John and Kassar Chitolie of St. Thomas.

Skelton was convicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine; Potter was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and use of a communications device during the distribution of a controlled substance; Stephens was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and the sale or distribution of a controlled substance, according to a report in the V.I. Daily News.

Chitolie was convicted of the sale or distribution of a controlled substance, sale or distribution of marijuana, and the use of a communications device during the distribution of marijuana as well.

The four men, and eight other St. John and St. Thomas residents, were nabbed by federal agents on May 6, 2011, after a sting operation which involved an early morning drop of a "fake 300-kilogram bail of cocaine" off the coast of St. John, according to reports.

During the four-day trial, federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation shared details of their more than year-long investigation into the St. John and St. Thomas drug ring, according to reports.

Testimony detailed two confidential informants and more than 10,000 hours of wire-tapped cell phone conversations about drug deals, according to the V.I. Daily News report.

U.S. Virgin Islands attorneys Rafael Muilenburg represented Skelton; Boyd Sprehn represented Chitolie and Francis Jackson Jr. represented Stephens, according to the V.I. Daily News report. Potter was represented by Philadelphia-based attorney Daniel Cevallos, according to the report.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2012 in District Court.

19 Responses to “Earl Skelton, conspirators convicted in St. John/St. Thomas drug ring!”

  • ???? (15/04/2012, 10:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Playing with the big boys now
  • another (15/04/2012, 12:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Oh lord another skelton bite the dust!
  • mother hen (15/04/2012, 15:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Look how this young man mess up his life…struppps
  • zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (15/04/2012, 16:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    wow vino way ayo found this? I taught this had gone away...well saw another one held by the feds
  • taxpayer (15/04/2012, 20:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    OMG!! If these Skeltons continue to be arrested they may soon become extinct.
    • kiss and tell (16/04/2012, 06:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      bouy you pll meck dey dog sick wid ayo cocka-may-may he aint no real skelton deman
    • Brap (16/04/2012, 06:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      If they fo become extinct it will be no one but their own fault. No tolerance for ignorance, greed and drugs.
    • lol (16/04/2012, 15:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      he is not a real skelton his mother is married to a skelton so back up off the skelton dem
  • me (16/04/2012, 07:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Throw away the key, scumbagfs that peddle drugs need not see the light of day again..
  • lery smart (16/04/2012, 08:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "badness no pay"
  • *Sad* (16/04/2012, 08:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Continue to trust in god Earl. Keep the faith and keep praying. I miss you a whole lot.
    • Watching on.. (16/04/2012, 10:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Neva knew Earl to be a man to have Faith in God..but ummm.. ok...i hope he change mehson..bout time he does.
  • bad (16/04/2012, 13:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    hope he has learn his lesson from following bad company!!!
  • Kris (16/04/2012, 13:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Earl always say ( get rich or die tryin ) well he ain get rich n he ain die but he get locked up . My bwoyyyy
  • hmmm???? (17/04/2012, 18:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    sing it!!! tun tun tun another punk bites the dust!!!!! A we goin get more of you real soon. BOO!!!!! ITS THE BOOGIE MAN!!!! WE'RE WATCHING YOU RIGHT NOW!!! ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!


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