By Mat Probasco

The court had not yet posted details of Fahie’s sentencing, but the Miami Herald reported prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence. Neither prosecutors nor Fahie’s attorney replied to requests for information.

Fahie, who turns 54, was caught in an undercover sting operation where US federal agents posing as representatives of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel offered vast sums of money if Fahie and other BVI government officials arranged for cocaine-laden cargo ships to layup in Tortola for a few days twice a month, according to court records.

Fahie, vowing an appeal, claimed to have had only a minor role in the plot and said the US federal agents behind the sting were the real ringleaders, planning the scheme and recruiting Fahie’s co-defendants, former BVI Ports Authority Executive Director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard and her son.

Fahie said he only went along with the drug smuggling deal to gain information that he planned to later turn over to BVI authorities. The jury was not convinced and found Fahie guilty on all charges: conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, attempted money laundering, and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.

The sting found Fahie and co-defendants agreeing to import 6,000 kilograms of cocaine a month. The drugs would come in twice-monthly shipments of 3,000 kilograms -6,614 pounds- that would be parked off the coast of Tortola to gain legitimacy. Most of the narcotics would be shipped to Puerto Rico after a few days, then on to Miami and eventually New York, according to court records.

Each shipment of cocaine would generate $78 million in revenue, and roughly $7 million of that would be paid to Fahie and friends, prosecutors said. If the eight shipments made over four months were real, Fahie expected to be paid roughly $56 million for helping transit 24,000 kilograms of cocaine. On top of the $56 million, Fahie asked for $500,000 to spread around as bribes.

Several of Fahie’s friends and family sent letters of support to the court, asking South Florida District Court Judge Kathleen Williams to show leniency in her sentencing. They said Fahie was well known for his honesty, compassion, and charity. Fahie’s wife and two daughters wrote in July asking the judge to note Fahie’s dedication to community. The former high school teacher played piano in churches, helped youth summer camps, coached basketball teams, and helped steer young people away from drugs and other trouble, they said.