Court Report: Probation Dismissed Early For Former Jess Conn Yacht Owner
David Creed •
This week’s Current Court Report includes arraignments and dispositions from Monday’s Nantucket District Court session. It is led by the termination of probation for the former owner of the Jess Conn yacht that he was serving on a pair of felonies and misdemeanors, as well as a precautionary warrant being issued by the court for the arrest of one of the five individuals arrested by ICE in September.
Scott Burke, 70, of Colorado, the former owner of the Jess Conn yacht that was raided by law enforcement in Nantucket Harbor in early September 2023, had his probation terminated six months early by Judge James Sullivan Monday morning. Judge Sullivan's decision came after a motion by Burke's attorney, Hank Brennan, to discharge the probation due to Burke’s need to regularly travel out of state to receive cancer treatments. Sullivan said he also doesn’t view Burke as a threat to public safety, which factored into the decision, as well as Burke having complied with the probation to this date without any issues.
Burke previously pleaded guilty to Sept. 5th, 2023 charges of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine (felony), possession with the intent to distribute a Class A drug (felony), possessing a firearm without an FID card (misdemeanor), and possession of ammunition without an FID card (misdemeanor) on June 11th. His probation was set at one year following the plea and the original end date would have been June 10th, 2025.
In other District Court news this week, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Gean Do Amaral Belafronte, 30, as a precaution by Sullivan. Belafronte was the second of five individuals taken into custody by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September. The Cape & Island’s District Attorney’s office said it believes Belafronte has already been deported back to Brazil, but asked for the warrant to be issued until they can confirm the deportation happened.
After Belafronte’s attorney asked for no warrant to be issued in the hearing, Sullivan sided with the DA’s office.
“For housekeeping purposes I am issuing the warrant,” Sullivan said. “If he comes back into the country, we would like to be aware of it.”
Belafronte had previously been arrested by Nantucket Police and charged with indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years or older three years ago. The alleged indecent assault took place on Nantucket back on April 13th, 2021, and an arraignment for Belafronte had been scheduled for June 9th, 2021 following his arrest.
But Belafronte, a 30-year-old Brazilian noncitizen, never appeared for the arraignment and a warrant was issued for his arrest by former Nantucket District Court Judge Thomas S. Barrett.
According to ICE, Belafronte had lawfully entered the United States on Oct 8th, 2018 but violated the terms of his admission into the country. The agency said in September that Belafronte left the United States voluntarily on April 18th, 2021 – five days after the alleged indecent assault on Nantucket took place and was reported to police.
But according to ICE, Belafronte at some point returned and unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location. Then on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, Belafronte was taken into custody on the island by Nantucket Police on a warrant arrest. At 3 p.m. that afternoon, he was arraigned on the indecent assault and battery charge, almost three years later from when it allegedly took place. You can read the full story here.
Bernardo Alvarez Mejia, 45, of Nantucket, was arraigned on a Nov. 27th charge of assault & battery on a family/household member. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 18th for a pretrial hearing.
Kenia Garcia Vasquez, 47, of Nantucket, was arraigned on December 22nd charges of assault & battery and assault with a dangerous weapon. She had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 18th for a pretrial hearing.