Scott Burke: Retired doctor pleads not guilty after being arrested with guns and drugs on yacht
KEY LARGO, FLORIDA: Scott Burke, 69, a retired doctor who resides in Key Largo, Florida, has pled not guilty after being arrested on drug and firearm charges on Tuesday, September 5.
The charges stem from a police raid on his luxury yacht, the "Jess Conn," where authorities discovered 43 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of ketamine, two handguns, and ammunition, as per Daily Mail.
What are the charges against Scott Burke?
Scott Burke, who previously practiced medicine in Denver, Colorado, and currently lives in Key Largo, Florida, is facing charges related to possessing a firearm without a permit, possessing ammunition, and the possession and trafficking of Class A and Class B drugs.
The yacht, a 70-foot motor vessel registered in the Cayman Islands, was boarded by authorities in the harbor of an upscale Massachusetts island.
Burke was arraigned in Nantucket District Court on Wednesday, September 6, after authorities boarded his vessel on Tuesday morning, September 5, after receiving a call regarding a woman who may have overdosed and was seeking to leave the yacht.
In a statement, officials confirmed that the woman was transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital at 7.45 am on Tuesday, September 5, after reports of her requiring "medical assistance."
They added, "As a result of this information, the boat was identified and located within the Nantucket Harbor Anchorage. Authorities responded to the boat and located the involved woman and identified the owner who was also onboard."
The Coast Guard and Nantucket Police started investigating after a "wellness check" led to the woman being taken from Burke's vessel.
Reportedly, the yacht, Jess Conn, arrived in Nantucket Harbor on August 23 from Newport, Rhode Island. It had previously run aground in Florida in May without significant damage. Jeff Wecal, an executive petty officer at Coast Guard Station Brant Point, confirmed that his crew is helping the Nantucket Police Department in their investigation.
Authorities found sex workers aboard Scott Burke's Jess Conn yacht
Along with the drugs and illegally possessed firearm, Scott Burke also had sex workers on board his yacht, as informed by law enforcement to the Nantucket Current. While Burke claimed to have gun licenses, they were from outside Florida and had expired.
The retired doctor pleaded not guilty and has been ordered to remain in custody until a detention hearing in Plymouth District Court.
"The owner of the boat was arrested by Nantucket Police Department for one count of Possession of a Firearm without a license. This case remains under investigation at this time," confirmed the officials, according to The Daily Mail.
