Former DPP Williams (in front) and Crown Counsel Graham are handling the case. Photo: VINO

Harrigan (left) and Skelton will appear in the Magistrate's Court tomorrow.

Harrigan (left) and Skelton will appear in the Magistrate's Court tomorrow.

Mrs. Davis-Small and Dr. Archibald having a conversation in the Magistrate's Court compound. Photo: VINO

From left to right - Harrigan, Skelton and Beazer. Photo: VINO

Bob Hodge is wanted in two US districts for narco-trafficking.

If extradited, Earl ‘Bob’ Hodge, Chad Skelton, Juan Valdez, Carlston Beazer and Roberto Harrigan will be charged with conspiracy to import cocaine in the Southern District of Florida.

Due to other commitments by the men's lawyers, it was a collective decision to have the hearings on the above-mentioned date, although Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens had indicated she would have cleared her schedule between November 1 and December 12 for hearing arguments.

Crown has new face for hearing

Interestingly, the crown's case will now be headed by former Director of Public Prosecutions Terrence Williams, along with Crown Counsel Valston Graham who has intimate knowledge of the matter.

Virgin Islands News Online understands that Mr. Williams has been contracted to handle the case in the absence of Director of Public Prosecutions Elizabeth Hinds, who is reportedly on leave.

Meanwhile, Williams informed the court this morning, Friday October 28, 2011 that the Governor has given the go ahead with the extradition process.

However, Dr. J. S Archibald, Hodge's lawyer, stated that he would like to proceed with the domestic charges first before the extradition process. He also hinted that if this does not happen he will make an application to the Privy Council.

He also informed the court that he intends to call expert witnesses for the extradition hearing.

Since their arrest on August 24, 2011, at their respective homes, Hodge, Skelton, Beazer and Harrigan have captivated the Territory with their alleged shenanigans in evading the law in their drug operation that first caught the attention of law enforcement officers in 1998.

Apart from the conspiracy, the quartet is charged with conspiracy to import a controlled drug, while Hodge is also charged with the unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm, unlawful possession of explosives, one count of acquisition and possession of used proceeds of criminal conduct. In addition to that, he is facing four counts of being in possession of cocaine with the intent to supply and four counts of importation of cocaine.

Harrigan, a Customs Officer, is facing two counts of abuse of authority in facilitating the entry of persons for illegal purposes into the Territory, one count of acquisition and possession of used proceeds of criminal conduct and one count of criminal proceeds, and bribery by a public officer.

Additionally, Skelton and Beazer are both charged with one count of acquisition and possession of used proceeds of criminal conduct, four counts of being in possession of cocaine with the intent to supply and four counts of importation of the controlled drug respectively.

However, these charges are pending in the Magistrate’s Court.

Excerpts of US indictment

The indictment which was filed on July 15, 2011 in the United States District Court Southern District of Florida, named 13 men on the alleged drug ring. The other men are Roberto Mendez-Hurtado, Alvaro Richardo Nino-Bonilla aka Lucas, aka Mono; Samuel Javier, Jorge Ivan Riveros, Luis Fernando Velasquez –Ramirez, Narciso Rondon-Mejia, Severo Confessor, Juan Figueroa-Valdez and Humberto Gallego.

Count 1 on the indictment stated that the 13 men, from in or around March 2009, the dates unknown to the Grand Jury, allegedly “did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree with each other, with others unknown to the Grand Jury to distribute cocaine and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.”

Among the implications outlined in the indictment, it states that it was part of the conspiracy that the defendants Alvaro Ricardo Nino-Bonilla and Roberto Mendez Hurtado, “would solicit the services of a United States pilot from the Southern District of Florida to purchase airplanes, radio equipment and airplane equipment to fly to Apure, Venezuela, pick up loads of cocaine and distribute cocaine to waiting boats and off-load crews in waters near the Virgin Islands (British) and landing strips in Guatemala and Honduras.”

As part of the indictment, it states that defendant Earl “Bob” Hodge would allegedly direct the defendants Juan Valdez, Chad Skelton and Carlston Beazer and others unknown to the Grand Jury, to operate on fast boat crews to pick up cocaine dropped from airplanes in the waters off the Virgin Islands (British) with the intention that the cocaine be distributed to the United States.

The indictment further charges that it was part of the conspiracy that Roberto Mendez-Hurtado and Roberto Harrigan aka Tico, a local Customs Officer, were to collect from Earl Delville Hodge aka Bob Hodge, proceeds from cocaine sold in Puerto Rico and elsewhere, conceal those cocaine proceeds, and deliver those proceeds for airplane transportation to Venezuela.

Representing Hodge is J. S Archibald, QC; Skelton is represented by Tana’ania Small-Davis and Akeela Anderson; Beazer by Duane Jean Baptiste; Harrigan by Patrick Thompson while Valdez’s legal representative is Stephen Daniels.