A former Colorado physician, Scott Burke, was arrested on Tuesday in Nantucket Harbor, Massachusetts, aboard his 80-foot luxury yacht, the Jess Conn. The arrest followed a police response to a potential overdose case involving a woman on the yacht. Burke, who now resides in Florida, is facing multiple charges related to drugs and firearms.
Upon their arrival, authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Nantucket police, and the local harbormaster, discovered a disoriented woman in the master bedroom of the yacht. The woman, who seemed to be under the influence of an unknown substance, expressed that she did not feel safe. She was subsequently transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital.
In addition to the woman, police found a loaded handgun and a bag of cocaine in the room. After securing a search warrant, authorities conducted a thorough search of the yacht, uncovering 43.4 grams of cocaine and 14.1 grams of ketamine. An anonymous source close to the investigation informed the Nantucket Current that prostitutes were also present on the yacht.
Burke, the yacht owner, claimed to have a license for the handguns found on the vessel. However, police stated that his Florida license was not only invalid in Massachusetts, but it had also expired the previous year. Initially, Burke was charged with possession of two handguns and a bag of cocaine. Additional charges were added following the execution of the search warrant.
The yacht, described as a “mini-superyacht” by Motorboat & Yachting magazine, is valued at over $7.5 million. The vessel, built by Nordhavn in 2021, is equipped with luxury features such as a hot tub on the flybridge and herringbone floors. It is marketed to globetrotters who enjoy spending summers in the Mediterranean and winters in the Caribbean.
Burke’s yacht is reportedly registered in the Cayman Islands. It is powered by twin 375 hp John Deere engines and can carry more than 4,600 gallons of fuel. The yacht has four staterooms and can accommodate up to two crew members.
Public records indicate that Burke obtained his medical license in Colorado in 1981, with the last renewal in 2019. He has owned at least two other large vessels over the years, also named Jess Conn. Burke is also the founder of a medical lien service firm, Injury Finance, and specialized in spine rehab and pain as a physician. He is now retired from active medical practice.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and police have not commented on potential additional charges.