Malcolm Goodman
NASSAU, The Bahamas--Malcolm Goodman, a Bahamian boat captain, is facing a possible maximum sentence of life in prison after allegedly being caught with 200 kilograms of cocaine in waters near Florida on February 11, according to an indictment filed on Thursday.
Goodman was charged with one count of possession with the intention to distribute a controlled substance and one count of importation of a controlled substance, both of which carry a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
Goodman’s arrest was particularly controversial because he was identified as a business associate of former Minister of National Security Marvin Dames, who is the Free National Movement’s (FNM) candidate for Mount Moriah.
Dames has denied any knowledge of or involvement in unlawful activity that led to Goodman’s arrest, and pledged full cooperation with authorities on the matter.
“To be clear, neither I nor my wife had any knowledge of, involvement in, or benefit from any alleged unlawful activity connected to this matter,” he said in a statement last Tuesday, pledging to fully cooperate with any lawful inquiry in The Bahamas or the United States (US).
US authorities said Goodman was caught with 200 kilograms of cocaine on a 45-foot boat named “M/V Reel Xperience” in waters four nautical miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.
US authorities are seeking the forfeiture of the vessel.
The affidavit of US Department of Homeland Security Task Force Officer Jose Alvarez was contained within the complaint.
Alvarez said, “Prior to being advised of his Miranda rights, Goodman spontaneously stated, ‘I am going to eat it,’ and further spontaneously uttered that he was guilty and that he was solely involved in the smuggling of the narcotics.”
Goodman made his initial court appearance on February 12, but did not enter a plea to the charges. ~ The Nassau Guardian ~
