Guyanese US-drug fugitive “Death” arrested in Dominican Republic and extradited to the US
International fugitive Dennis Edwards, aka “Death,” a 38-year-old suspected Guyanese drug trafficker, has been extradited to the United States from the Dominican Republic to face drug trafficking charges.
After arriving in the Dominican Republic on Monday, Edwards was denied entry and deported.
After being refused entry and deported by Dominican authorities, he was placed on a US Government flight that landed at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey. He was detained by US government authorities at the airport upon his arrival.
In a 2012 indictment, Edwards was charged with conspiring to import five kilogrammes or more of cocaine from St. Maarten into the United States.
He appeared in federal court in Newark on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel and was held without bail.
According to court documents and statements, the US Government claims that Edwards was part of a criminal conspiracy that arranged for the importation of cocaine into the US.
The conspiracy charge against Edwards carries a minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a maximum fine of ten million dollars.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the investigation leading to the charges to special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, led by Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, and deputies of the United States Marshals Service, led by U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.
The US District Attorney for the District of New Jersey stated in a statement that the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs was instrumental in securing Edwards’ arrest.
US Attorney Sellinger thanked Dominican Republic officials for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the General Crimes Unit in Newark represents the government.
According to News Source, Edwards has been closely monitored by US and local authorities for the past ten years. He is thought to have travelled to the Dominican Republic from Suriname.
