Police Officers, Family Members Sought Leniency as VIPD Officer Receives 14-Year Prison Sentence for Role in Massive Drug Trafficking Operation
The letters of police officers, family members and friends pleading to the Miami District Court asking for leniency for Teshawn Adams, the V.I. Police Officer and National Guard member who federal prosecutors said was at the center of a multi-million dollar cocaine operation, did not sway Judge Paul Huck from handing down a 14-year prison sentence to Adams on Monday, according to 7 pieces of court documents obtained by the Consortium Thursday afternoon. The matter was first reported by the Consortium on January 13.
2021-10-08 12:13:31 - VI News Staff
Teshawn Adams was one of six arrested in January and charged as part of the case. St. Thomas Police Officer and National Guard member Shakim Mike and suspects Maleek Leonard, Roystin David and Trevon Adams were also arrested as part of the complaint that alleges the suspects "knowingly and willfully conspired to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine," revealed to be 328.79 kilograms. Leonard was sentenced to five years federal imprisonment Tuesday. Also arrested was Anthon Berkeley.
Berkley was charged under a separate complaint. He admitted to driving from Orlando to Miami with the intent to pick up one kilo of cocaine from the private-charter smuggling event. During his interview, Berkely admitted that he was supposed to pick up one kilogram of cocaine and bring it to an unknown individual in Orlando. According to the complaint, although Berkely was not the ultimate buyer of the cocaine, he was expected to be paid $18,000 to pick up and transport the narcotics.
Teshawn Adams was charged with cocaine trafficking for his major involvement in moving the cocaine. In the complaint, Teshawn is identified as the man who offered Police Officer Shakim Mike $60,000 to $70,000 for his role in the smuggling venture. Mike admitted that at least three of the seized bags belonged to him and that he helped pack the cocaine bricks in the bags. Soon after Mike absconded, he sent his location to Trevon Adams, who picked him up at a hotel and drove him to Orlando, where he was contacted by law enforcement and ultimately agreed to surrender, according to the complaint. Trevon is Teshawn's brother.
According to the complaint, text messages between Roystin David and Teshawn Adams included references to "moving product," "recruiting flight attendants," "investing all the money from our bricks," "meeting the big dogs in Santo Domingo," and "living off the airport trips." David also said that the last words he heard from Mike before Mike fled, were, "oh s***, I think we should run."
Teshawn's defense attorney stated that the defendant "is sincerely remorseful for his criminal conduct and acknowledges that the offense to which he has entered a plea of guilty is of a serious nature. Further, the defendant wholly realizes the impact his poor decision to become involved in this criminal conduct will have upon his family and his future, and knows that he has nobody to blame but himself."