BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CHARLES EDWARDS, also known as Chase Ergen of Colorado, appeared at the Basseterre Magistrate’s Court yesterday (May 20) on multiple charges and was convicted and fined for the offences.
Edwards, the business partner of billionaire investor Alkivaides ‘Alki’ David, was
charged on Wednesday (May 15) with Threatening Language, Resisting Arrest and Battery on Police.
The offences were committed at Park Hyatt, St. Kitts on Sunday (May 12) and Edwards was taken into custody pending a bail hearing.
Edwards was fined $1,500 for the use of Threatening Language to be paid forthwith or two months in prison, and $3,000 for Resisting Arrest to be paid forthwith or six months in prison.
At about 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday (May 7) a private jet had arrived at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport with eight passengers and two crew members, among whom were Edwards and David.
On their arrival David had declared among other things 550 plants, which he claimed to be Hemp. The plants were contained in 11 crates of 50 plants each.
Following investigations, including testing of the plants, David was charged with Possession of Cannabis, Possession of Cannabis with intent to Supply, Importation of Cannabis, and Importation of a Restricted Item.
David had appeared twice before Senior Magistrate Reynold Benjamin, was granted bail and ordered to return to the Court on Monday, September 23, 2019.
Edwards’ arrest came about when David had approached Dr. Timothy Harris at the Park Hyatt, St. Kitts on Sunday (May 12), where the international businessman claimed that had a 15-minute meeting with the Prime Minister.
David also claimed that after the meeting, Edwards started a conversation with PM Harris but was subsequently arrested.
“...So I left and then Chase went to him and started to have a conversation with him when a bunch of witnesses who work there at the Hyatt Hotel saw his guard picked Chase up and take him out.
“And the next thing you know he’s being arrested for drugs, for cocaine, which is Ketamine, which is his medicine that has been taken away from him and he is now languishing in the jail.”
According to reports, after seeing the medication in Edwards’ possession, the security personnel suspected it to be an illegal substance and challenged him on its legality.
Reports also stated that when the security personnel insisted that the substance was to be taken into custody for analysis, a confrontation ensued and resulted in the three charges against Edwards.
