Former BVI Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Maynard and her son Kadeem Maynard both pleaded guilty on Monday in a Miami federal court, admitting that they conspired with then-Premier Andrew Fahie last year to smuggle thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States through Virgin Islands waters.
The Maynards also agreed to cooperate with authorities, who could potentially require them to testify in Mr. Fahie’s trial next month.
After pleading guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine, the Maynards are scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 21.
Technically, they face a minimum sentence of ten years in prison, but they could get less under their plea deal if they qualify for the “safety valve” exception for low-level offenders in the United States.
They could also be fined up to $10 million each.
Both defendants signed factual proffers that include detailed accounts of their alleged drug-trafficking scheme and concede that the US could prove the entire account if their cases were to go to trial.
The new pleas were an about-face for the Maynards, who along with Mr. Fahie previously pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to import a controlled substance, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and attempted money laundering. Mr. Fahie and Ms. Maynard also pleaded not guilty to one count each of “interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.”
Mr. Fahie now faces trial alone next month, as prosecutors apparently do not plan to pursue the rest of the charges against the Maynards.
Admitting guilt
In Mr. Maynard’s factual proffer, he admitted to coordinating meetings between Mr. Fahie, Ms. Maynard and a US Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source between March 16 and April 28, 2022.
During these meetings, Mr. Fahie and the Maynards allegedly agreed to allow the confidential source — who they believed to be a member of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel — to port vessels containing 3,000-kilogram loads of cocaine in Tortola for 24 to 48 hours until the drugs could be shipped to Puerto Rico en route to the mainland United States, according to both Maynards’ factual proffers. They added that the DEA source provided them each with $10,000 in cash as a gesture of “good faith.”
The Maynards also alleged that Mr. Fahie agreed to bribe officials managing the ports and airports, and they admitted to agreeing to obtain the necessary licences and other paperwork.
Testimony
In their plea agreements, both defendants agreed to fully cooperate with the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida by providing “truthful and complete information and testimony, and producing documents, records and other evidence, when called upon” by the office.
They also agreed to appear at grand jury proceedings, hearings, trials and other judicial proceedings as needed by the office. If needed, they may also be called upon to work in an undercover role under the supervision of law enforcement officers and agents, according to the deal.
Additionally, the Maynards are prohibited from protecting “any person or entity through false information or omission;” falsely implicating anyone; or committing further crimes.
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to recommend leniency in sentencing if the Maynards uphold their end of the deal. Prosecutors, however, also qualified that they won’t be required to recommend leniency if the Maynards fail to make complete disclosures to the probation office, if they misrepresent facts to the government prior to the plea agreement, or if they commit any misconduct after entering the plea agreement.
Arrests
Mr. Fahie and Ms. Maynard were arrested in Miami on April 28, 2022 following a sting operation led by the DEA.
Mr. Fahie was arrested first, at the Miami-Opa Loka Executive Airport, after exiting a plane where he inspected bags filled with $700,000 in fake cash that he believed would be paid to him and Ms. Maynard, according to the complaint against him.
Ms. Maynard was arrested later after visiting the same plane, and her son was arrested in the USVI, prosecutors stated.
Mr. Fahie’s trial is scheduled to start July 17 in Miami.