Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Following a five-day jury trial, Ivan Van Beverhoudt, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, has been convicted of importing and possessing with intent to distribute more than 16 kilograms of cocaine.
“Van Beverhoudt used his trusted position as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to circumvent the law and smuggle dangerous drugs into our community,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners, Van Beverhoudt is now being held accountable and faces time in federal prison.”
According to information presented in court by Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, on January 10, 2020, Van Beverhoudt boarded a commercial flight from St. Thomas to Atlanta carrying 16 bricks of cocaine in two carry-on bags. To bypass TSA screening in St. Thomas, he traveled using his official capacity with his CBP-issued firearm loaded. Upon arrival at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on his way to Baltimore, Maryland, a narcotics K-9 officer alerted authorities to Van Beverhoudt’s luggage in the jetway, leading to the discovery of the cocaine.
At the end of his trial, Van Beverhoudt was found guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, importation of cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Court will consider United States Sentencing Guidelines when determining his sentence.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Bret R. Hobson are prosecuting this case along with contributions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel B. Milam.
The U.S Attorney’s Office encourages parents and children to learn about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via email at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or phone at (404) 581-6280; additional details can be found on their website: http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
