Reynaldo Lerburds, 41, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty Thursday before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez, to conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 6.
According, to the plea agreement, Lerburds was stopped by the Drug Enforcement Administration based on information that he was coming from St. John on the car barge in a vehicle that contained a distribution quantity of cocaine.
Lerburds was apprehended after departing the car barge, and DEA agents confiscated 50 brick-like objects of a white powdery substance. The white powdery substance tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 55 kilograms.
Lerburds faces a sentence of not less than 10 years or more than life and a fine of $10 million.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the V.I. Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.