In a shocking incident on Tuesday, a retired doctor was apprehended by the police on his 70-foot yacht, Jess Conn, in Nantucket, following allegations of illegal activities onboard.
Scott Anthony Burke, 69, is now facing charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms, according to court records accessed by The Boston Globe.
The arrest was triggered by a distress call made by a woman onboard the yacht, who reportedly "did not feel safe" and was possibly under the influence of narcotics. The police received the report just before 8 a.m., prompting them to investigate the luxury vessel docked in the harbor of the affluent Massachusetts island.
Upon arrival, Burke allegedly guided the officers to his bedroom where they found the distressed woman, who appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. She was subsequently transported to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital, although her current condition remains undisclosed.
Law enforcement sources revealed to the Nantucket Current that prostitutes were also discovered on the yacht. A subsequent search of the vessel led to the seizure of approximately 43 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of ketamine, a .380 pistol, three 30-round 9 millimeter magazines, and a 12-round magazine in a 9 millimeter pistol. Multiple rounds of ammunition were also found scattered on the yacht's bedroom floor.
Following his arrest, Burke reportedly admitted to owning the firearms onboard and directed the officers to the location of several other guns. "Scott Burke does not possess a valid [license to carry] or [firearm identification] card," the police report stated.
Initially, Burke was arrested on two counts of illegal firearm possession. However, additional charges of possessing ammunition and Class A and B drugs were added following the raid.
Burke, who has residences in Key Largo, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, is a retired doctor who formerly operated a spine and rehabilitation clinic. He is also the founder of Injury Finance, a Colorado-based medical insurance company that offers lien services for third-party liability claims. Burke was first licensed to practice medicine in Colorado in 1981, but his license expired two years ago, according to the state's Board of Medicine records.
Burke is set to be arraigned in Nantucket District Court on the weapons and drug-related charges next Monday. His luxury yacht, Jess Conn, is registered in the Cayman Islands.
Prior to docking in Nantucket on August 23, the yacht had been anchored off Newport, Rhode Island. In May, the vessel ran aground off Florida but reportedly sustained minimal damage.
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