A joint operation with the Nantucket Police, DEA, and the U.S. Coast Guard ensued a raid on a luxury yacht, the Jess Conn, bringing down Scott Anthony Burke. The 69-year-old retired doctor from Key Largo, Florida, who founded Denver Spine and Rehab, has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking, illegal gun possession, and other crimes. The arrest followed after authorities discovered a distressed woman who had possibly overdosed on the yacht The Boston Globe.
The dramatic raid on Jess Conn, described in court papers as an "80-foot Nordhavn yacht," ultimately revealed that it contained firearms, cocaine, ketamine, and a distressed woman who didn't feel safe aboard the vessel. The Jess Conn, registered in the Cayman Islands and owned by Burke, reportedly carried a cache of firearms, both Class A and B drugs, and led to accusations of the presence of sex workers on the yacht Nantucket Current. Although authorities have been unable to comment on specific details, the investigation is far from over and other charges could still arise.
Reacting to the woman's possible overdose, officials were first alerted to the situation on Jess Conn on Tuesday morning, as they carried out a "wellness check" alongside Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey and EMTs from the Nantucket Fire Department Daily Mail.
Registered in the Cayman Islands, the Jess Conn was revealed to have arrived in Nantucket Harbor on August 23, coming from Newport, Rhode Island New York Post. The extent of Burke's alleged illegal operation on the yacht begs the question: How long had this dangerous endeavor been unfolding right before the eyes of the privileged who call Nantucket home?
