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HomeNewsPolice & CourtsThree St. Croix Men Plead Guilty in Cocaine Case

Three St. Croix Men Plead Guilty in Cocaine Case

Three St. Croix men pleaded guilty this month to charges relating to the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced in a news release issued Wednesday.

According to Shappert: On Jan. 18, Robert Klyvert, 47, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon to distribution of crack cocaine. On Jan. 29, Nolly King Jr., 36, pleaded guilty to distribution of crack cocaine and Thaddeus Hendricks, 39, both of St. Croix, pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine, both before Cannon.

According to plea agreements filed with the court, in September 2016 Klyvert, also known as “Family,” told a confidential human source that he wanted to begin supplying cocaine to the the source directly, after one of Klyvert’s associates died. Through phone calls and text messages over the next few months, Klyvert informed the source that he had a kilogram of cocaine in Florida; that Klyvert would contact the source once the cocaine arrived in the United States; and that the source would need to travel to Florida to receive it. Klyvert also said the cocaine would be “fronted” to the source, who would have approximately a week to sell the drugs and pay $25,000 to Klyvert. In addition, Klyvert advised the source that the cocaine was not good for “the nose” – in other words, to snort as powder cocaine – and that it was only suitable for converting into crack cocaine.

Klyvert told the source that if he sold this kilo quickly, the defendant’s supplier would ship another kilogram to the United States on Jan. 2, 2017, and the source could purchase that kilogram as well.

After a series of text messages from Klyvert, the confidential obtained the cocaine from defendant Nolly King at King’s Florida residence. Shortly thereafter, Klyvert texted the source that he only needed to pay $22,000 for the cocaine, as the amount of cocaine was approximately four ounces short of a full kilo. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed that the substance received by the source on Dec. 30, 2016, was cocaine base also known as “crack” cocaine, and cocaine hydrochloride, with a net weight of over 884 grams.

On Jan. 15, 2017, defendant Hendricks travelled from St. Croix to St. Thomas to deliver cocaine for Klyvert. The source picked up Hendricks at the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas and transported him to the Palms Court Hotel. The source gave Hendricks $22,000 in exchange for cocaine that the source had previously picked up in Orlando. Hendricks returned to St. Croix, where Klyvert met Hendricks at the Rohlsen Airport. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed that the cocaine transported by Hendricks had a net weight of over 971.8 grams.

Klyvert faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and not more than life, and as much as a $10 million fine, according to Shappert. His sentencing date has been set for May 22.

King faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and not more than life and a fine of as much as $10 million. Hendricks faces a mandatory minimum of five years and not more than 40 years and a fine of as much as $5 million. A sentencing date has been set for May 30 for both King and Hendricks.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Melissa Ortiz.

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