One man acquitted, three found guilty in King Airport drug trafficking case

Marlon Underhill was a free man Saturday, as Leayle Benjamin, Aben Marrero Jr. and Michael Samuels were remanded back to the Bureau of Corrections.

Benjamin, Marrero and Samuels were found guilty of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, and possession and distribution of cocaine.

Underhill will return to Atlanta, Ga., where he resides.

“I think it was clear that he was separate from the other defendants,” said Gordon Rhea, Underhill’s attorney. “I think the jury listened very carefully.”

Underhill was the only defendant to take the stand.

Jurors also heard from Thomas Bruce, who also is facing drug trafficking charges, though it is unclear in what jurisdiction since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security apprehended him in Atlanta, Ga.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Bruce was offered a plea agreement in exchange for information about the rest of the drug trafficking ring.

His agreement was pending during the trial, which lasted less than a week, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office released no further information about it Monday.

A sentencing date has not yet been set for the other defendants — Benjamin, Marrero or Samuels — and their attorneys still have 60 days to review their defendants’ cases and then file post- trial motions.

“We were disappointed,” said Andrew Capdeville, attorney for Benjamin.

Benjamin, Marrero and Samuels all are from St. Thomas. Benjamin and Marrero both were employees at King Airport.

Benjamin recruited Bruce to bring about 9 kilograms of cocaine to Atlanta, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nelson Jones during the trial.

Bruce met with Marrero at the airport in October 2011 to pick up the cocaine before transporting it on a flight, the prosecution argued. Homeland Security agents were watching Bruce and caught him and persuaded him to share information about the operation.

According to Bruce, he was supposed to meet with Underhill in Atlanta when he arrived from St. Thomas. Marrero was to arrange the meeting with Underhill.

“Nothing was ever said about drugs,” Rhea said about his client, whose voice was heard in recorded phone conversations with Benjamin, who is his uncle.

Rhea said that it was apparent that Underhill had other business with Benjamin because Benjamin owed Underhill money for a car that Benjamin had bought from him.

Evidence against the other three defendants included other recorded phone conversations, recorded video fragments and testimony from witnesses, including Bruce, U. S. Department of Homeland Security agents and a former informant for the department.