A retired Colorado doctor with terminal cancer has admitted to trafficking cocaine and ketamine, nearly a year after police in Massachusetts caught him with the drugs and an unlicensed gun aboard his yacht.
Dr. Scott Burke, 70, who practiced medicine in Denver and also has an address in Key Largo, Florida, was arrested in September after authorities received a call about a woman who may have overdosed and wanted to abandon ship — and ’43g’ had found. cocaine, 14 grams of ketamine, two pistols and ammunition on board.
He initially pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against him, but on Tuesday in Nantucket District Court, Burke pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of ketamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition without a permit. reports the Boston Globe.
The charges related to possession of a large capacity firearm were subsequently dropped as part of a plea agreement, and he was sentenced to one year of probation.
Dr. Scott Burke, 70, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of cocaine and ketamine with intent to distribute, as well as possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license
He was sentenced to one year of probation as part of a plea agreement
Police have said they found the drugs and three firearms (one of which was loaded) in Burke’s bedroom aboard his 70-foot motor yacht, named the Jess Conn, after receiving a call from a man in Dallas, Texas who was worried about his death. friend on board.
The man told authorities that he had been talking to his friend, a 33-year-old woman, via FaceTime all night and that she “said she wanted to get off the boat” before she blacked out and the call ended.
First responders on the scene then found the woman lying “awake but extremely lethargic” on a bed, according to court documents obtained by the Globe.
The woman would later tell police on the boat that she did not feel safe and was “scared to be on the boat.”
She was then transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital as police continued to raid the ship.
Police boarded Burke’s yacht in September after receiving a call for a welfare check on a woman on board
According to the Globe, they found two handguns and assorted ammunition in Burke’s bedroom, a loaded handgun on the bookshelf, a plastic bag of cocaine and two priority FedEx envelopes.
Law enforcement sources also told the Nantucket Current that sex workers were discovered aboard the boat during the raid.
When questioned about the items, Burke claimed he had permits for the weapons, but authorities later discovered they had been issued in Florida and had expired a year earlier.
He also claimed he was unaware of any drugs on board his yacht, which he apparently named after his children, Jessica and Connor.
Burke initially told authorities that he was unaware of the drugs on board the ship and that he had a permit for his weapons
Burke was scheduled to appear in court in Nantucket later that month to face his first criminal charges.
During that hearing, his lawyer claimed that the woman who apparently overdosed was a friend of the ship’s captain, who had been hired to work as a server.
He noted that Burke had more than a dozen guests aboard the Jess Conn in the week before his arrest, including some invited by crew members.
When some of the crew left the yacht to attend a wedding, the woman asked if she could stay on board for a few days until they returned, attorney Hank Brennan alleged.
He said Burke agreed the woman could stay, and blamed it on a “disgruntled ex-boyfriend,” the Globe reported.
Burke, who practiced medicine in Colorado, apparently named the yacht after his children
“This was simply a case about a gentleman who had the authority to possess firearms and was unaware that his Second Amendment right was not being answered more than a mile off the coast of Nantucket,” Brennan said after finding the guilty party plea from his client this week.
‘We are grateful for it [the] The district attorney’s thoughtful consideration and delicate balance between advocating for the community and showing empathy.”
Brennan added that he is “confident that Dr. Burke would be proven right if we had a jury trial, but time is not a luxury available to us,” noting that Burke has advanced cancer.
A spokesperson for the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office indicated that Burke’s poor health was a factor in his decision to offer the plea deal.
“It was brought to our attention that the defendant was being treated for terminal cancer during the pendency of the case,” spokeswoman Danielle Whitney said.
“Given the defendant’s age, lack of criminal record and his health status, we have agreed to the terms of his disposition.”