St. Croix Man Who Conspired With Airport Employee to Smuggle Two Kilograms of Cocaine Through Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Convicted in Federal Court

ST. CROIX — U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced on Tuesday that after a week-long trial, a St. Croix federal jury convicted Keithley Parris, age 33, of St. Croix of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The verdict was returned by the jury on Friday. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parris conspired with co-defendants Don-Luke George and Zion Hazel in April of 2018 to smuggle 2 kilograms of cocaine through HERA with the intent to transport the cocaine to Miami via an American Airlines flight. Evidence presented at the trial showed that Parris organized and planned the operation, recruited George and Hazel to participate, supplied the cocaine to George, paid George $1,000 to bring the cocaine into the airport, and subsequently directed and monitored the operation via text messages with George and Hazel while the operation was unfolding at the airport. On April 12, 2018...