The Tribune

BY TRIBUNE STAFF
REPORTER

FIVE defendants in an alleged plot to import cocaine from The Bahamas to the United States are being kept apart in prison, a court heard yesterday.

The men, including a former chief superintendent with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, are not being allowed to associate at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in New York.

Lawyers for the five complained to a judge that they were not allowed to see their clients at the same time and one lost his job in the prison, apparently because it involved being around another defendant.

No explanation was given for why the separation was in effect, but they are normally implemented for breaches of prison rules or security risks.

The claim at the federal court in Manhattan came as a judge set a date of March 1, 2027 for the case to go to trial.

However, prosecutors revealed that negotiations are still ongoing for a possible plea deal to reach a resolution before then.

The accused are Elvis Nathaniel Curtis, 51, the former chief superintendent, as well as alleged cocaine traffickers William Simeon, 52, Luis Fernando Orozco-Toro, 58, Ulrique Jean Baptiste, 53, and Lorielmo Steele-Pomare, 59.

They are all facing charges of cocaine importation conspiracy, possessing and carrying firearms and firearms conspiracy.

Prosecutors claim that the scheme, which ran from May 2021 to late 2024, involved paying off “corrupt” Bahamian officials to allow the conspirators to ship drugs to America.

All the defendants apart from Steele-Pomare appeared in court: he had been delayed being transported from his prison in New Jersey.

Curtis wore grey, prison-issue pants and a shirt and his hands were cuffed in front of him. He had a serious expression on his face as he spoke with his lawyer before the hearing.

David Tougher, a lawyer who represents Orozco-Toro, told the court that a “separation order” was in effect at the MDC, a notorious prison whose previous former inmates included the rapper Diddy.

“As a consequence, my client has lost his job,” Mr Tougher said. “Obviously it’s going to be a long time before trial. Work takes up part of the day”.

Lawyers for the other defendants told the court that they had been specifically told that a separation order was in place during visits to the MDC.

Assistant US Attorney Juliana Murray, the prosecutor, told the court that her office had not requested the order and neither had the Bureau of Prisons, which runs the MDC.

However, that is effectively what was happening at the facility, Ms Murray said.

She said she would contact the MDC legal department and “escalate higher up” within the BOP.

US District Judge Gregory Woods said he would allow the prosecution to continue its efforts but offered to call the BOP if needed.

As he set the trial date, Judge Woods said that it was a “firm date” and that it “would not change”.

The judge warned the defendants that if they wanted to change their lawyer they should do so sooner because he might not grant the request close to the trial.

“Changing counsel won’t change the trial date”, the judge said.

Ms Murray said that discussions were ongoing to find a “pre-trial resolution” but she did not as yet have an update.

At least eight others are accused of being part of the plot but have not been arrested, even though some of them are from the Bahamas.

They include Prince Albert Symonette, 52, a former RBPF sergeant, who prosecutors claimed “closely worked” with Curtis. There has been no extradition request from US authorities for Symonette, who lives in The Bahamas.

Both Curtis and Symonette are accused of taking a $10,000 cash bribe in 2023 as downpayment for helping get a future 600kg cocaine shipment through New Providence airport to the US.

Orozco-Toro, a Colombian, is also said to have “worked closely with corrupt Bahamian government officials in connection with their drug trafficking activities”.

Earlier this month Darrin Alexander Roker, a former chief petty officer with the RBDF, was jailed for four years over his role in the plot.

Roker, 56, had faced 20 years in jail but was spared such a harsh sentence because he has terminal prostate cancer.

Roker had admitted one count of cocaine importation conspiracy and begged for mercy from the judge, saying he “made a mistake”.

His lawyer Martin Roth told the court: “The entire system in The Bahamas, the police, defence officials, government personnel, is corrupted”.

That sparked an angry response from Shanta Knowles, the chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

She said that she was “offended” at the comments and that Roker’s conduct did not reflect on all law enforcement officers in the Bahamas.