ST. THOMAS — A veteran United States Postal Service worker, Dean Thompson, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and using a telephone in facilitating the commission of a felony. The announcement came from United States Attorney Delia L. Smith earlier today.
Thompson, 54, a resident of St. Thomas and a 23-year veteran with USPS, was involved in a drug trafficking operation that extended from July 2016 to March 2017. He collaborated with Calvin Benjamin and Stephen Bernier to deliver over 100 kilograms of marijuana to St. Thomas using the United States Postal Service.
As a postal employee, Thompson possessed extensive knowledge of and access to the daily operations of the Aubrey Ottley Post Office in Sugar Estate, St. Thomas. This enabled him to facilitate several shipments of marijuana through the postal facility.
Thompson's role involved monitoring packages containing marijuana upon their arrival in St. Thomas, and indicating the appropriate post office boxes for shipping the contraband. Evidence produced at trial revealed that Thompson would alert his co-conspirator, Benjamin, when law enforcement was due to inspect packages. He would then notify Benjamin when it was safe to collect the marijuana packages.
The trial further established that Thompson received cash and marijuana in exchange for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy has scheduled Thompson's sentencing for October 27, 2023.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and Yasir Sadat led the prosecution.
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