Burlington man stranded in Dominican Republic after ‘bogus’ drug charges finally home

David Bennett spent over two months stuck in the Dominican Republic after being falsely accused of drug trafficking. Today his family says he’s finally home.

Bennett’s nightmare began in February, when he joined his wife and another couple on a vacation in Punta Cana.

While going through customs at the Punta Cana airport for their return flight, Bennett was separated from the group and taken into an interrogation room.

Officials accused him of smuggling marijuana and cocaine in a yellow bag he didn’t recognize.

Authorities suspected that the bag belonged to him, as it was marked with the name “Davi Benett.” Bennett’s actual travel documents all read “David R. Bennett.”

He was arrested and charged shortly thereafter, while his wife and friends returned home.

A months-long legal battle ensued. The charges were eventually dropped, but Bennett was still unable to return home because of a backlog in paperwork to confirm the case was withdrawn.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the family spent roughly $80,000 in legal fees and accommodation costs.

READ MORE: Burlington man detained in Dominican Republic on ‘bogus’ drug charges