ST. CROIX — A Grenadian man has been sentenced for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy intercepted in the Caribbean Sea. Rodney Dennis de Roche, 39, will serve 37 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and must pay a $100 special assessment.
The sentence, issued by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis, follows de Roche’s guilty plea to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute while aboard a vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
According to court documents, the charges stem from an incident on November 14, 2023, when the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence was patrolling international waters in the Eastern Caribbean Sea. Approximately 116 nautical miles west of Fort-de-France, Martinique, officers intercepted the motor vessel Jackie Boy in a region notorious for drug trafficking. The vessel displayed no indicia of nationality and ignored commands to stop.
As the Coast Guard approached, the vessel’s occupants—including de Roche—began throwing packages tied to sandbags into the ocean. Upon retrieval, officers recovered approximately 32 kilograms of cocaine. All six individuals on board, including de Roche, Adel Munro, Arim Boniface (also known as Arkim Boniface), Dave Compton, Kevin Francis, and Darryl Pope, were taken into custody.
The vessel's master identified it as Grenadian, a claim verified by Grenadian officials. Additionally, Grenada granted a waiver of jurisdiction, allowing the case to proceed under U.S. law. The six defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to their involvement in the cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
De Roche’s sentencing follows that of co-defendant Reinoza, who received 46 months imprisonment on August 28, 2024. Sentencing for the remaining defendants is pending.
The case was part of a broader effort to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in the region. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led the investigation, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston.
This prosecution was undertaken as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, a collaborative effort that targets high-level criminal organizations. Utilizing a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, and multi-agency approach, OCDETF works to dismantle criminal enterprises threatening the United States. Additional information about the program is available on the Department of Justice website.
For updates and more information, visit the U.S. Attorney's Office website at justice.gov/usao-vi.
