Retired doctor, 70, admits dealing cocaine and ketamine following arrest on his yacht

A retired Colorado doctor with terminal cancer has admitted to dealing cocaine and ketamine almost one year after cops in Massachusetts busted him with the drugs and an unlicensed gun onboard his yacht.

Dr. Scott Burke, 70, who practiced medicine in Denver and also has an address in Key Largo, Florida, was arrested in September after authorities received a call about a woman who had possibly overdosed and wanted to leave the ship - and found '43g of cocaine, 14g of ketamine, two handguns and ammunition' onboard.

He initially pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against him, but in Nantucket District Court on Tuesday, Burke pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, possessing ketamine with intent to distribute and possessing a gun and ammunition without a license, the Boston Globe reports.

Charges related to the possession of a large capacity firearm were then dropped as part of a plea deal, and he was sentenced to one year probation.

Dr. Scott Burke, 70, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing cocaine and ketamine with the intent to distribute, as well as possessing a gun and ammunition without a license

He was sentenced to serve one year probation as part of a plea deal

Police have said they found the drugs and three firearms - one of which was loaded - in Burke's bedroom onboard his 70-foot motor yacht, dubbed the Jess Conn, after they received a call from a man in Dallas, Texas who was worried about his friend onboard.

The man told authorities he had been speaking with his friend, a 33-year-old woman, all night on FaceTime and that she 'mentioned wanting to get off the boat' before she passed out and the call dropped.

First responders on the scene then found the woman lying on a bed 'awake but extremely lethargic,' according to court documents obtained by the Globe.

The woman would later tell cops on the boat that she did not feel safe and was 'afraid to be on the boat.'

She was then transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital, while police continued to raid the ship.

Police boarded Burke's yacht in September after receiving a call for a welfare check of a woman onboard

They found two handguns and various ammunition in Burke's bedroom, a loaded gun on the bookshelf, a plastic bag of cocaine, and two priority overnight FedEx envelopes, according to the Globe.

Law enforcement sources also told the Nantucket Current that sex workers were discovered aboard the boat during the raid. 

When questioned about the items, Burke claimed he has licenses for the guns - but authorities later discovered it had been issued in Florida and expired one year prior.

He also claimed he was unaware of any drugs onboard his yacht - which he apparently named after his children, Jessica and Connor.

Burke initially told authorities he was unaware of any drugs onboard the vessel and that he had a license for his guns

Burke would appear in Nantucket court later that month to face criminal charges for the first time.

At that hearing, his attorney claimed the woman who had apparently overdosed was a friend of the ship's captain who had been hired to work as a server.

He noted that Burke had more than a dozen guests on board the Jess Conn in the week before his arrest - including some who were invited by crew members.

Then when some of the crew left the yacht to attend a wedding, the woman asked if she could stay on board for a few days until they returned, attorney Hank Brennan claimed.

He said Burke agreed that the woman could stay, and blamed the raid on a 'disgruntled ex-boyfriend,' the Globe reports. 

Burke, who practiced medicine in Colorado, apparently named the yacht after his children

'This was simply a case about a gentleman who had authority to own firearms and was not aware that his Second Amendment right was not reciprocated over a mile off the shore of Nantucket,' Brennan said following his client's guilty plea this week.

'We are appreciative of [the] District Attorney's thoughtful consideration and delicate balance between advocating for the community and demonstrating empathy.'

Brennan added that he is 'confident that Dr. Burke would be vindicated if we pursued a jury trial, however time is not a luxury that was available to us,' noting that Burke has late-stage cancer.

A spokesperson for the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office indicated that Burke's failing health was a factor in its decision to offer the plea deal.

'It was brought to our attention that the defendant was being treated for terminal cancer during the pendency of the case,' spokeswoman Danielle Whitney said.

'In light of the defendant's age, lack of criminal record and health status, we agreed to the terms of his disposition.'