On Tuesday, cocaine, ketamine, and guns were found on an 80-foot luxury yacht worth millions of dollars, docked at Nantucket Harbor in Massachusetts.
Former Colorado physician Jess Conn retired to Florida, the owner of Nordhavn’s 2021 “petite superyacht”, was arrested by police after he called dispatch to report a possible overdose on board.
Scott Burke, a yachtsman from New York, now faces 12 drug and weapons charges after an encounter with the police and a search of his vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Nantucket Police, along with the local harbormaster boarded the boat Tuesday morning. They found a woman disoriented in the master bedroom.
A police factual statement stated that “She seemed to be under the influence of an unknown drug.” “She stated that she didn’t feel safe.”
Police said that she was taken to Nantucket Cottage Hospital.
The court documents also claim that a loaded pistol and a pink cocaine bag were found in the room. Police say that after obtaining a warrant for a search, they found 43.4 grams of cocaine and 14.1 grams of ketamine.
According to The Nantucket Current, a source involved in the investigation said that the authorities had also found prostitutes aboard the ship.
On Thursday, Lt. Angus MacVicar of the Nantucket Police Department, who is also its public information officer, said: “That was certainly not in my release.”
Burke told police that he held a handgun license, but the police confirmed his Florida license wasn’t valid in Massachusetts and had expired last year.
The police initially charged him with possession of two pistols and a bag containing cocaine. They added more charges when they obtained a search warrant to search the boat.
Police, USCG, and DEA conducted a thorough search and found additional drugs, ammunition, and large-capacity magazines.
Motorboat & Yachting magazine describes Nordhavn’s 80-foot trawler as a “mini superyacht” and reports that it costs more than $7 million.
Optional features include a herringbone floor and a hot tub on the flybridge. According to the outlet, the model is marketed towards globetrotters who enjoy their summers in the Mediterranean and their winters in the Caribbean.
Burke’s boat is registered in the Cayman Islands, according to reports.
The vessel’s manufacturer claims that it can hold more than 4,600 gallons and is powered by two John Deere engines with 375 horsepower. The vessels have four staterooms and can accommodate up to two crew.
A member of YachtForums.com posted a picture of Burke’s boat aground near the Florida Keys in May. The boat reportedly sustained little damage, and it was photographed in a West Palm Beach Marina a few days later.
The doctor was released on bail but Thursday, attempts to contact him for a comment failed.
Burke’s medical license was issued in Colorado in 1981, according to public records. The last time it was renewed was in 2019. Over the years he has also owned two other large vessels, both named Jess Conn, measuring 90 feet and 58 inches long.
Burke’s LinkedIn profile states that he was a spine specialist and pain physician, and also founded Injury Finance, a medical lien company in 2003. In his bio, he stated that he had retired from active practice.
Police declined to comment further on the possible additional charges.
