Miami Outlaw

Scott Sherouse began smuggling marijuana from the Bahamas at age 21, recruiting his best friend and high school All-American wrestler, Alex DeCubas, into the drug trade. What began as small-time hustling in 1980s Miami soon spiraled into a high-stakes ripoff spree that financed speedboats, planes, and international cocaine smuggling. The duo's exploits grew bolder and more dangerous with each load. For Sherouse, it culminated in robbing a legendary Colombian drug lord's cocaine stash—a move that led to his federal prison sentence. DeCubas, however, weathered the fallout and chose to up the ante, becoming one of the most prolific cocaine traffickers of his time. While Sherouse served time in the U.S., DeCubas became a desperado in Colombia, rising into the top echelon of the South American criminal underworld—and becoming a living legend. Their saga, first introduced to many through ESPN's acclaimed 30 for 30 documentary Pin Kings, is one of betrayal, loyalty, and the high price of the American drug war. Before his sentence, Sherouse played a dangerous game—cooperating with authorities while trying to shield his friend. Their mutual teammate and confidant, West Point graduate Capt. Kevin Pedersen, was eventually recruited into the DEA with a special directive. Sherouse's formative years were shaped by the water: fishing, diving, and running sportfishing boats through Florida and the Bahamas. While wrestling for Miami Dade College, he also worked as a captain and later relocated to Andros Island, where he lived as a civilian contracted by the U.S. Navy for marine research. Ironically, the same waters he studied were the ones he'd once used to outsmart U.S. and Bahamian coastal patrols. After prison, Sherouse rebuilt his life through scholarship and study. He earned multiple interdisciplinary degrees with honors and conducted fieldwork and research on organized smuggling networks and maritime cultures. His work took him back to Colombia, where he debriefed former cartel men about gold bullion, cocaine submarines, kidnappings, and private graveyards. Today, Dr. Sherouse has taught courses in cultural anthropology, world history, and sociology at both Florida International University and Miami Dade College. His scholarly book, The Bahamas, "Land of Milk and Honey": Symbolic Acts and Social Action, examines mid-twentieth-century colonial transition and nationalism in the Caribbean. Now based in South Florida, Capt. Sherouse is working on upcoming Miami Outlaw books while continuing his career as a super yacht captain operating throughout the Caribbean.