Source: Office of United States Attorneys
St. Thomas, VI – Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on
Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Kai James, 37, of St. Croix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and six years
of supervised release by District Judge Mark A. Kearney. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025, to
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana for his role in a drug trafficking
conspiracy led by James and his brother, Ivan James. Other members in the James gang, Ivan James,
Joh Williams, Malachi Benjamin, Ariel Petersen, Jahkiebo Joseph, Tillisa Ceaser, and Luis Ortiz, Jr.,
all of St. Croix, were previously sentenced by Judge Kearney for their roles in the drug trafficking
conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at the trial of Ivan James and Joh
Williams and other hearings, the investigation into the James drug trafficking organization began in
January 2013 after Bureau of Corrections officers at the Golden Grove Correctional Facility seized
an iPhone from then-inmate Joh Williams. A search of the cell phone seized from Williams revealed
text messages related to smuggling and distribution of controlled substances in the prison. Thereafter,
Drug Enforcement Administration obtained authorization to intercept calls from a second cell phone
used by Williams while incarcerated. The wire investigation revealed evidence of distribution of
controlled substances within the facility by Williams, supplied by Ivan James. The investigation
further revealed that Vivian Ford, a former corrections officer, was a member of James’ organization
who smuggled narcotics into Golden Grove in food containers for distribution by Williams.
Members of the gang who worked at the Henry Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix used their
secured access to smuggle multiple kilograms of cocaine per week onboard commercial aircrafts
destined for the continental United States. Testimony revealed that Ivan and Kai James recruited
couriers to deliver bricks of cocaine as passengers on board commercial flights. As a
manager/supervisor in the drug trafficking gang, Kai James used as many as 10 couriers to travel to
New York, North Carolina, and Florida with 2 to 3 kilograms of cocaine per trip in this broad and
brazen drug trafficking operation.
In addition, a search warrant was executed on the family home of Ivan and Kai James. Law
enforcement recovered marijuana, cocaine, and marijuana cultivation equipment. In a field adjacent
to the property, agents seized over 1,000 marijuana plants.
A federal jury found Ivan James guilty on drug conspiracy, possession of 1,000 marijuana
plants, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug conspiracy and possession of firearms resulting
in the death of Levar Pogson. On his conviction, Judge Kearney sentenced James to 420 months of
imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Joh Williams was also found guilty on
the drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by seven
years of supervised release. Ariel Petersen and Jahkiebo Joseph pleaded guilty to possession of
firearms in furtherance of a drug conspiracy and importation of firearms. Petersen was sentenced to
93 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and Joseph was sentenced
to 68 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Malachi Benjamin
pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 72
months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Tillisa Ceaser and Luis Ortiz,
Jr. both pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Ceaser was sentenced to 62 months of imprisonment, and
Ortiz was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
“Due to the tremendous work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security
Investigations, Customs and Border Patrol, the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of
Corrections, the members of this drug trafficking organization have received just and lengthy
sentences for their involvement in these crimes,” said Acting United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
“This sentence sends a clear message, and it is credited to the extensive collaboration between
federal and local law enforcement partners. Our joint efforts are essential in the U.S. Virgin Islands
towards combatting drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and the myriads of other illicit activities of
transnational criminal organizations in our area of responsibility,” said Homeland Security
Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos.
“The guilty plea of Kai James represents a decisive blow against the violent narcotics
conspiracy that plagued the people of St. Croix for far too long,” stated DEA Caribbean Division
Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Miranda. “This case underscores the unwavering commitment
of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations that threaten the
safety and well-being of our communities. We are proud to have worked alongside the USAO, HSI,
FBI, CBP, and ATF to bring justice to those impacted by these crimes. Let this serve as a clear
message: we will not relent in our fight to protect the Caribbean from the scourge of drug trafficking
and violence.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)
investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money
launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a
prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal,
state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security
Investigations, Customs and Border Patrol, Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of
Corrections. It was prosecuted by former United States Attorney Delia Smith, Acting Assistant United
States Attorney Adam Sleeper, and lead OCDETF attorney Kyle Payne.