By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
UNITED States federal prosecutors have issued a new indictment in a major cocaine trafficking case, correcting the name of a defendant from Theodore Nathaniel Adderley to Ulrique Jean Baptiste.
Adderley was initially listed among 11 Bahamians accused of helping traffic cocaine into the United States, but it appears investigators mistakenly named him.
The issue came to light after Benjamin Silverman, a court-appointed attorney, revealed in a letter to US District Judge Gregory H Woods that Jean Baptiste, arrested in the Dominican Republic on March 24 and arraigned in New York on April 4, denied being Adderley or having any involvement in the alleged crimes.
Using fingerprint records, officials later confirmed the man in custody was Ulrique Jean Baptiste.
Prosecutors initially believed “Blue,” a nickname cited in the investigation, referred to Adderley. But Mr Silverman says the US government now believes “Blue” is actually Jean Baptiste.
In a parallel move after the release of the superseding indictment, Judge Woods reissued a Brady order, underscoring the government’s obligation to disclose all evidence favourable to the defence — including material that could impact sentencing or undermine a witness’s credibility.
The case stems from a sweeping US federal indictment unsealed in New York, charging numerous Bahamians and two Colombians with conspiracy to traffic cocaine into the United States. Among those named are senior members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) — including Chief Superintendent Elvis Curtis, Sergeant Prince Albert Symonette, and Chief Petty Officer Darrin Roker. Symonette has since been discharged from the force.
The indictment alleges that these officials played key roles in facilitating the transhipment of cocaine from South America through The Bahamas and into the US, accepting bribes and leveraging their official positions to aid traffickers. The scheme allegedly compromised Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) — a long-standing joint law enforcement initiative targeting drug smuggling in the region.
According to prosecutors, drug traffickers paid cash bribes to gain safe passage through Bahamian airports and ports with the help of corrupt officials. In one instance, Curtis alleged he solicited $2m in exchange for securing political support for law enforcement assistance with cocaine shipments.
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