District of the Virgin Islands
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Citizen of Trinidad and Tobago Previously Barred for Life Pleads Guilty to Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Monday, March 2, 2020, Christopher Alfred, 45, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to reentry of removed alien, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about June 2014, the defendant, an alien and citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, was deported from Miami after he was convicted for money laundering. Due to his prior conviction, he was barred for life from entering the United States. On or about January 11, 2018, the defendant was located in Frederiksted. Before he was found in the United States, the defendant did not seek permission from the Attorney General to reapply for admission to the United States.
Alfred faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has been set for July 1, 2020.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Former Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison on Theft from the Woman’s Coalition of St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Kira Lee Encarnacion, 41, of St. Croix, was sentenced yesterday in U.S District Court to 13 months imprisonment, on one count of Federal Program Theft, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
After finding that Encarnacion abused a position of trust, Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Encarnacion to a prison term of 13 months to be followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Encarnacion was ordered to pay the outstanding restitution balance of $83,510 and a special assessment of $100.
According to court documents, from November 2014 through May 2015, Encarnacion was employed as a bookkeeper with the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix (WCSC). As the bookkeeper, Encarnacion’s duties included issuing legitimate payments to vendors in support of the organization’s functions using an accounting software program. However, during this period, she fraudulently caused 39 WCSC checks to be issued to herself, totaling $85,510. Encarnacion disguised the checks in the accounting software program as payments to legitimate vendors of WCSC. The defendant then deposited the checks into her personal bank account and used the funds for personal matters.
WCSC receives in excess of $10,000 a year in federal grants and benefits, which gave rise to the federal prosecution.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Ecuadorian and Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Smuggling 1,535 Kilograms of Cocaine Onboard a Semi-Submersible Vessel Interdicted by United States Coast GuardRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –– Hector Hernandez Saucedo, a Mexican National, and Calixto Tumbaco, an Ecuadorian National, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess 1,535 Kilograms of Cocaine While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States minutes before their jury trial was scheduled to begin before U.S. District Judge Curtis V. Gomez, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Judge Gomez remanded both defendants pending their sentencing hearing on June 18, 2020.
According to court records, on May 10, 2019, while on patrol, a United States Coast Guard patrol aircraft sighted a self-propelled, semi-submersible vessel in international waters approximately 250 nautical miles northwest of Esmeraldas, Ecuador, navigating on a westerly course in a known drug smuggling area. The vessel was a low profile, semi-submersible with three outboard engines, displaying no indicia of nationality nor markings, and operating without any navigation lights. The Coast Guard Cutters HAMILTON and RESOLUTION, which were operating approximately 15 nautical miles away from the semi-submersible vessel, diverted in order to investigate the semi-submersible’s activities. Crew members of the Coast Guard Cutters observed that the semi-submersible was more than eighty (80%) percent under the waterline.
Upon their approach, Coast Guard Officers observed that objects were being thrown overboard by one of the semi-submersible’s occupants. After gaining control of the semi-submersible, Coast Guard Officers took Hector Hernandez Saucedo, Calixto Tumbaco, and Columbian Nationals Mariano Abregon and Freddy Montano Paz into custody. The semi-submercible vessel was later declared a stateless vessel without nationality and therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Coast Guard Officers proceeded to conduct an at-sea space accountability inspection of the vessel. They located 64 bales of suspected cocaine inside a tunnel area of the vessel. The bales contained brick shaped objects with an estimated weight of 1,535 kilograms. During interviews, one occupants admitted that the semi-submersible vessel departed Buena Ventura, Columbia approximately three days prior to the Coast Guard interdiction, and that they were destined for Mexico.
On February 11, 2020, Abregon entered a plea of guilty, and on September 12, 2019, Montano Paz also entered a plea guilty. Both pleaded guilty to Count One of the Bill of Indictment which charged conspiracy to possess 1,535 kilograms of cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. For their convictions, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard and is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith.
Alleged St. Croix Drug Trafficking Organization Members Charged with Possession of Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –– Ivan James, Kai James, Joh Williams, Malachi Benjamin and Tillisa Caesar appeared on February 12, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller for arraignment on a twenty-count superseding indictment charging drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. At the conclusion of the hearing, Magistrate Miller remanded Ivan James, Williams and Benjamin pending their detention hearings on February 20, 2020. Ceaser was previously detained on separate drug trafficking conspiracy charges, and Kai James was placed on home confinement.
According to court records, Ivan James and Kai James were alleged leaders of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that operated on St. Croix. Federal law enforcement first discovered the organization’s existence during a 2013 investigation, which revealed that Ivan James was smuggling narcotics into the Golden Grove Correctional Facility on St. Croix with the aid of a now deceased corrections officer. According to reports, Joh Williams, who was incarcerated at Golden Grove, distributed the narcotics on behalf of James. Thereafter, in July 2015, Ivan James directed his associates to rob a rival drug dealer of several kilograms of cocaine at gunpoint. The investigation continued with the execution of a search warrant at the James family compound located at 239 Estates LaGrange on St. Croix, where federal agents recovered over 1,000 marijuana plants and one half kilograms of cocaine. During the search, federal agents also recovered four pistols and one AR-15 rifle together with a large cache of ammunition. The investigation culminated with the seizure of an additional four pistols, one AK 47 rifle and approximately 24 kilograms of marijuana that were concealed and shipped in a commercial freezer from Miami, FL to St. Croix via Paradise Freight Shipping on February 28, 2019.
The superseding indictment charges all defendants with drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics. In addition, Ivan James, Kai James and Benjamin are charged with possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy. Benjamin is also charged in a separate indictment with possession with intent to distribute cocaine after a vehicle for which he was a passenger was stopped and searched by Virgin Islands Police Officers on St. Croix. Benjamin allegedly fled the scene after officers asked him about his involvement in the 2019 double homicides at the Cockpit Coliseum on St. Croix.
This case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Fentanyl on St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Marshall D. Miller, age 44, of unknown address, pled guilty on February 6, 2020 for the charge of Simple Possession of a Controlled Substance.
According to court documents, on January 7, 2020, while on mobile patrol, St. Croix Police Chief Herman Lynch observed Miller acting erratically on the roadway near the Limetree Bay housing facility across from the entrance to Colorama store. When the police chief approached Miller, Miller had pinpoint pupils, was drooling, and was observed reaching into his pockets and throwing out items. The police chief saw five plastic baggies containing a pink powdery substance along with a $10 bill on the ground where the items were thrown. A subsequent field test by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revealed that the substance contained fentanyl and weighed approximately .7 grams.
Miller faces a maximum sentence of one year and a minimum fine of $1000. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 20, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the DEA. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Alphonso Andrews, Jr.
St. Thomas Man Who Mailed Drugs in Candy Wrappers to New York Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Kemo Riley, of St. Thomas, pled guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. The Honorable Curtis V. Gomez, Chief Judge, District Court of the Virgin Islands, accepted the guilty plea.
In his plea agreement, Riley admitted to mailing a package to an individual in New York containing more than 250 grams of cocaine concealed in candy bar wrappers on May 28, 2019. Riley faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Judge Gomez scheduled defendant Riley’s sentencing for June 4, 2020, at 9 a.m.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Blecher and Nathan Brooks.
St. Croix Man Arrested on Federal Charges for Allegedly Mailing over a Pound of Cocaine from St. Croix to South CarolinaRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Damian Anthony Lang of St. Croix was arrested February 4, 2020 for the charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
According to court documents, Lang is accused of mailing two parcels from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Spartanburg, South Carolina on December 7, 2019. The parcels were intercepted and contained approximately 462 grams of a white powdery substance which field-tested positive for cocaine.
Lang was arraigned on February 4, 2020 in federal court on St. Croix and detention, preliminary and removal hearings are scheduled for February 5, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. According to court documents, Lang is currently on release pending trial in an unrelated federal case, No. 2015-13, for the charge of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The South Carolina case is investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Alphonso Andrews in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Sixth and Seventh St. Croix Women Plead Guilty in Multi-Defendant Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Nisha Brathwaite, age 38, and Darlene Thompson, age 37, both from the Virgin Islands and living on the mainland United States pled guilty on January 21, 2020 and January 24, 2020, respectively, to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, from January 2011 to July 2012, Brathwaite, Thompson and others participated in a scheme to steal money from the United States Treasury by fraudulently obtaining federal income tax refunds. The scheme involved the acquisition of personal identifying information used to electronically file falsified tax returns for tax years 2010 and 2011. According to court documents, Brathwaite, Thompson and eight co-conspirators filed tax returns in individuals’ true names and actual social security numbers and dates of birth but falsified the individuals’ income earned, tax withholding amounts, credits, and other information, and thereby claimed refunds to which they were not entitled. They designated bank accounts for receipt of the refunds, which, once received, they then withdrew and spent for personal use. As a result of the scheme, $35,555 was designated to Brathwaite’s bank account, of which $29,009 was actually deposited therein; further, $54,460 was designated to Thompson’s account of which $38,881 was actually deposited therein.
Of ten defendants charged in the tax fraud scheme, Brathwaite and Thompson are the sixth and seventh to plead guilty. Five others have entered guilty pleas one of whom has been sentenced. Sentencing dates for Brathwaite and Thompson have been set for May 21, 2020 and May 12, 2020 respectively. The remaining three defendants are pending a new trial date. Brathwaite and Thompson each face a maximum sentence of ten years and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alphonso Andrews, Jr. and Melissa Ortiz.
Previously Removed Indian National Charged with Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Keyur Hirenbhai Patel, a citizen of India, was charged with illegally reentering the United States. Keyur Hirenbhai Patel made his initial appearances before U.S. District Judge Curtis Gomez on Thursday. After preliminary and detention hearings on Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller ordered Keyur Hirenbhai Patel detained.
The complaint alleges that Customs and Border Patrol officers encountered Keyur Hirenbhai Patel at the Red Hook ferry dock in St Thomas. The officers conducted immigration inspections and determined that Keyur Hirenbhai Patel was not in possession of any documentation which allowed him to be in or to enter the United States. The officers proceeded to detain him and transport him to the Cyril E. King Airport for further inspection. According to court documents, record checks conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers revealed that Keyur Hirenbhai Patel was previously ordered removed from the United States on October 29, 2018, and neither the Secretary of Homeland Security nor the Attorney General has expressly consented to his reapplying for admission.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP Air and Marine, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
BVI National Charged with Destroying Cell Phone to Impede Investigation and with Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Juwon Cordelle Potter, a citizen of the British Virgin Islands, was charged with destroying a record or tangible object with the intent to impede a federal investigation and with knowingly and willfully entering the United States at a time and place other than as designated by Immigration Officers. Juwon Cordelle Potter made his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Curtis Gomez on Thursday. After preliminary and detention hearings on Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller ordered Juwon Cordelle Potter detained.
The complaint alleges that Customs and Border Patrol marine interdiction agents stopped a vessel leaving United States territorial waters and entering British Virgin Islands waters. According to court documents, the captain of the vessel, Juwon Cordelle Potter, permitted a search of his phone, which revealed a picture of two men and several messages stating "just the two men?" and "send the 2000 WU to Juwon Potter." An agent from Homeland Security Investigations placed the phone on a work surface on the CBP vessel and then moved to the bow to conduct record checks. The agent subsequently heard a splash, observed Juwon Cordelle Potter in the vicinity of where the phone had been placed, and observed the screen of the phone as it sank into the water.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP Air and Marine, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
St. Croix Resident Who Supplied over 20 Kilos of Cocaine at the Cyril E. King Airport for Transport Pleads Guilty to Drug Possession with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –Jakwaan Sweeny, Jr., 21, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty in District Court before Judge Curtis Gomez, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court records, on September 24, 2018, Sweeney provided Shahime Ludvig, Jr. with 22.78 kilos of cocaine at the Cyril E. King Airport and a plane ticket to Atlanta. The cocaine was packaged as 20 individualized bricks and placed in a checked bag. Once in Atlanta, the coconspirator was to deliver the cocaine to another member of the cocaine conspiracy.
On the day of travel, Sweeney’s co-conspirator entered the Cyril E. King Airport and checked the bag for the flight. During a routine screening, a specially trained narcotics detection canine "alerted" on the bag. Customs and Border Protection officers in St. Thomas opened the bag and discovered the cocaine. Homeland Security Investigations arrested Ludvig prior to him boarding the flight. Ludvig entered a guilty plea in federal court in 2018.
Under federal law, Sweeney faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000,000.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
St. Croix Man Indicted for Firearm and Related Offenses in Vicinity of a SchoolRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced the return of an indictment on January 21, 2020, charging a St. Croix man, Mario Felix, with felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm within a school zone. Felix will be arraigned on January 27, 2020.
According to the indictment, on November 3, 2019, Felix, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm and ammunition and did so while in the vicinity of the Alternative Education School.
The case is being investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
An indictment is merely a formal charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced the return of an indictment on January 21, 2020, charging a St. Croix man, Mario Felix, with felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm within a school zone. Felix will be arraigned on January 27, 2020.
According to the indictment, on November 3, 2019, Felix, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm and ammunition and did so while in the vicinity of the Alternative Education School.
The case is being investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
An indictment is merely a formal charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Finds Colombian National Guilty of Conspiracy and Transporting 593 Kilograms of Marijuana on Board a Go-Fast BoatRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Cristian Valencia Mendoza was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, following a jury trial in St. Thomas U.S. District Court.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on October 18, 2019, the defendant was located on board a go-fast style vessel that was intercepted by a United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific. USCG crewmembers first sighted the go-fast vessel in international waters, approximately 45 nautical miles north of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The vessel did not display any indicia of nationality and the co-conspirator, the captain of the vessel, told members of the USCG Boarding Team that the vessel was without nationality.
Twenty one (21) bales of marijuana, consisting of 593 kilograms, were located on board the vessel and seized by USCG crewmembers. The defendant waived his rights and gave a statement to DEA Agents detailing his involvement in the drug smuggling operation. He confessed that that he was hired to transport the marijuana from Colombia to Costa Rica. He stated that his role in the crime was to change fuel lines during the trip and to look out for law enforcement aircraft. He acknowledged that he was to be paid a total of 40 million pesos, approximately twenty three thousand ($23,000) dollars for his work onboard the vessel.
The defendant will remain in custody, and the court scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for April 28, 2020.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Virgin Islands Drug Enforcement Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Donna Rainwater and Adam Sleeper.
Costa Rican National Pleads Guilty to Transporting 593 Kilograms of Marijuana on Board a Go-Fast Boat Near Malpelo Island, ColombiaRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Hansel Andres Centeno Arriola pled guilty on Friday to Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to information provided in court and in court documents, on October 18, 2019, the defendant was on board a go-fast style vessel that was intercepted by a United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter while on routine patrol. USCG crew members first sighted the go-fast vessel in international waters at approximately 45 nautical miles north of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The vessel did not have any display indicating its nationality and the defendant, the captain of the vessel, told members of the USCG Boarding Team that the vessel was without nationality. Twenty one (21) bales of marijuana, consisting of approximately 593 kilograms, were located on board the vessel and seized. The defendant confessed to his involvement and told agents that he was hired as a boat captain to transport the marijuana from Colombia to Costa Rica. He stated that he was to be paid a total of sixty thousand ($60,000) dollars for his work.
The defendant will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is being investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Virgin Islands Drug Enforcement Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Sleeper and Donna Rainwater.
Owner of Construction Company Sentenced to Prison for Disaster Fraud in the United States Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Juli Campbell was sentenced to 14 months in prison for fraud related to FEMA’s Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) Program. Campbell, the owner of a Puerto Rico construction company, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining disaster relief funds intended to help the Territory rebuild following the 2017 hurricanes.
The STEP Program provides federal funds for essential repairs to homes damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. According to the plea agreement previously filed in the case, Campbell operated Campbell Development, LLC, which was a subcontractor performing STEP-funded work in St. Croix, VI. Campbell executed a scheme whereby the company submitted fraudulent invoices and timesheets related to a STEP-funded subcontract, showing work not actually performed. As part of her sentence, Campbell was also ordered to pay $179,033 in restitution.
"Disaster relief funds are intended to aid Virgin Islanders who suffered during the hurricanes" said U.S. Attorney Shappert. "Individuals and contracting companies that fraudulently diverted these funds must be held to answer for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made disaster fraud a priority and will continue to prosecute individuals and companies that violate federal law."
"The DHS OIG takes any and all allegations of fraudulent activity seriously and intends to hold accountable those who try to use natural disasters such as Hurricane Maria to take advantage of others," said Special Agent in Charge Jay H. Donly of the DHS-OIG Miami Field Office. "The DHS OIG will continue to use its investigative resources to stop those who use these circumstances for personal and illegal gain."
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General as well as Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Brooks.
Culebra, Puerto Rico Captain Sentenced for Knowingly Transporting Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Arturo Serrano-Arizmendi, 27, of Culebra, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today after being convicted of knowingly transporting illegal aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Arizmendi to 6 months in prison followed by three years supervised release, and ordered Arizmendi to pay a special assessment of $100. Gomez also ordered Arizmendi to forfeit $500 and a 1980 22-foot Maco boat.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2019, Arizmendi captained his Maco boat from St. Thomas in the direction of Culebra with no navigational lights. On board his vessel were five individuals that he knew were illegal aliens: four from Brazil and one from the Dominican Republic. A Customs and Border Patrol marine unit intercepted the vessel and returned it to St. Thomas where Arizmendi and the illegal aliens were taken into custody by Homeland
St. Thomas, USVI – Arturo Serrano-Arizmendi, 27, of Culebra, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today after being convicted of knowingly transporting illegal aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Arizmendi to 6 months in prison followed by three years supervised release, and ordered Arizmendi to pay a special assessment of $100. Gomez also ordered Arizmendi to forfeit $500 and a 1980 22-foot Maco boat.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2019, Arizmendi captained his Maco boat from St. Thomas in the direction of Culebra with no navigational lights. On board his vessel were five individuals that he knew were illegal aliens: four from Brazil and one from the Dominican Republic. A Customs and Border Patrol marine unit intercepted the vessel and returned it to St. Thomas where Arizmendi and the illegal aliens were taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations. When he was questioned, Arizmendi admitted that he received $100 per person to transport them to Culebra, PR.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Security Investigations. When he was questioned, Arizmendi admitted that he received $100 per person to transport them to Culebra, PR.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Two Members of the Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise Plead Guilty to RICO ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Robert Brown, age 30, and Etherneal Simon, age 49, both of St. Croix, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges for their respective roles as members of the Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise (“the Enterprise”), United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Brown, who entered his guilty plea on December 20, 2019, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in aid of racketeering activity; Simon, who entered her guilty plea today, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The Honorable Curtis V. Gomez, Chief Judge, District Court of the Virgin Islands, accepted both guilty pleas.
In his plea agreement, Brown admitted to serving as a chief enforcer for the Enterprise. As a chief enforcer, Brown admitted that he committed acts of violence on behalf of the Enterprise in order to: 1) enrich, preserve, expand, and protect the power, territory, and prestige of the Enterprise; 2) keep potential victims and rival gang members in fear of the Enterprise and its associates; 3) confront and retaliate against rival drug dealers and gangs; 4) protect the Enterprise and its members from detection, apprehension, and prosecution; and 5) financially support the Enterprise through robbery and other acts.
Brown specifically admitted that, in addition to other acts of violence, on September 4, 2015, he murdered an individual identified in the Fourth Superseding Indictment as J.W., a member of a rival criminal enterprise. Brown and his Enterprise associates planned and carried out the murder of J.W. at his child’s St. Croix daycare, as the daycare closed for the day. Brown acted as the driver, and positioned his vehicle next to the passenger side of an SUV, where he knew J.W. was seated, waiting for his child. Brown sprayed gunfire from his AK-47 into the passenger side of the SUV, killing J.W. During the entry of his guilty plea in federal court. Brown further admitted that he committed the murder in order to maintain his position in the Enterprise.
Brown further admitted that, on February 2, 2016, he ambushed members of a rival gang outside of the H&R Supermarket, ultimately shooting and killing an individual identified as J.E. in the Fourth Superseding Indictment, who Brown believed was attempting to return gunfire.
Brown faces up to life imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, for each count. Judge Gomez scheduled defendant Brown’s sentencing for April 23, 2020, at 9:00 a.m.
Simon likewise admitted to having acted as the financial and logistics facilitator for the Paul Girard Enterprise. Specifically, Simon acknowledged that, as part of her role in the RICO conspiracy, she rented the cars that Enterprise associates used to commit five different attempted murders on two separate occasions. Simon further admitted that she laundered drug proceeds of the Enterprise.
Simon faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the RICO conspiracy count, and the same for the money laundering count, with the exception that the maximum fine for that offense is $500,000. Simon’s sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2020, at 9 a.m.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
St. Thomas Man Apprehended in Red Hook Shopping Center Parking Lot with a 9mm Handgun and Ammunition, Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Jabari Hodge, 29, of St. Thomas, pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District Court, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on October 6, 2019 at approximately 1:10 a.m., VIPD officers approached the defendant, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle, with the driver’s side door open, in the parking lot of a shopping center in the Red Hook area. The defendant was the only person located in the vehicle. Upon approaching the defendant, one of the officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer saw what appeared to be a marijuana on the floorboard near the defendant’s feet. Another VIPD officer noticed a partially-opened bag with what appeared to be a jar containing marijuana inside. The officers informed the defendant that they were going to search the vehicle, at which point the defendant stated, "Just take the weed and let me go." The officers proceeded to search the vehicle and located a fully loaded, silver and black 9mm Kel tec handgun with one round in the chamber and seven rounds in the magazine.
Prior to his October 6, 2019 apprehension, the defendant had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not authorized to possess a firearm under federal law.
Hodge faces a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. However, should the court determine that the defendant is an armed career criminal, then the defendant will be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
St. Thomas Man Apprehended After Discharging a .45 Handgun into a Business Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Arnold Malone, 44, of St. Thomas, pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District Court, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on August 22, 2019, Virgin Islands Police Department officers responded to a call that an individual had discharged a firearm on St. Thomas.
When the officers arrived, they were unable to locate the man. Moments later, Central Dispatch advised the officers that the man had returned and discharged his firearm inside of a business establishment after he was denied entry by the manager. The officers traveled to the business establishment, and the manager advised them that the man was in the alley.
Officers made contact with the man, who was later identified as the defendant, Arnold Malone, and asked to speak with him in reference to the shooting. Officers asked the defendant if he had a license to possess a firearm in the United States Virgin Islands. The defendant responded that he did not. Officers conducted a pat down of the defendant and discovered a Lallamar Minimax X45 .45 caliber, with an extended magazine containing nine (9) rounds.
Prior to August 22, 2019, the defendant had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not authorized to carry a firearm under federal law.
Malone faces a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. However, should the court determine that the defendant is an armed career criminal then the defendant will be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
St. Croix Man Who Caused a Semi-Automatic Pistol to Be Shipped to the Territory Sentenced to 58 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – William Payne, 39, of St. Croix, was sentenced on January 9, 2020, in District Court on one federal count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Payne to a prison term of 58 months, to be following by a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $2,000, and a special assessment of $100.
Payne had previously pled guilty to the Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon count on July 24, 2019, and was ordered detained pending sentencing on October 30, 2019.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2017, Payne and another individual traveled to Southern Oaks Gun & Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer, located in Orlando, Florida. Payne was present when the other individual purchased a KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-Automatic Pistol.
On May 2, 2017, Payne caused the same firearm, two high-capacity magazines, and ammunition to be shipped by Tropical Shipping via seaborne container freight shipment from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to St. Croix, Virgin Islands. The firearm, high capacity magazines, and ammunition thus traveled in or affected interstate commerce.
On May 16, 2017, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an inspection of an inbound Tropical Shipping freight container. Upon inspection of a pallet of commercial goods destined for a local St. Croix business, CBP officers located the KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-Automatic Pistol, the two high-capacity magazines for the firearm, and 206 rounds of 5.56x45mm ammunition hidden amongst a larger shipment of items for commercial use. The box containing the firearm, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition bore a prior shipping label addressed to Payne at a Florida address.
On May 17, 2017, Homeland Security Investigations special agents and other federal special agents conducted a controlled delivery of the firearm, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Payne and the owner of the small business arrived at Tropical Shipping to receive the shipment.
Payne was arrested after the pallet containing the KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-automatic Pistol, high capacity magazines, and ammunition was loaded onto the pickup that was being used to transport the pallet from Tropical Shipping.
Payne was previously convicted of three felony offenses: in 2000, for Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle; in 2001, for Resisting Officer with Violence, and in 2007, for Delivery of Cocaine, all in the Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orange County, Florida.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Former Virgin Islands National Guard Member Sentenced to in Prison for Fraud, a False Statement and Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Aesha Rivers, age 44, of St. Croix, was sentenced on January 10, 2020, after being convicted by a federal jury of 48 counts of Wire Fraud; 1 count of Theft of Government Money; and 1 count of False Statement to Government, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. The jury trial commenced on April 30, 2019 and concluded on May 2, 2019.
Visiting Judge Anne E. Thompson sentenced Rivers to 12 months and a day in prison, to be followed by 3-year term of supervised release, and a special assessment of $5,000. Additionally, Rivers was ordered to make restitution to the Virgin Islands National Guard in the amount of $71,345.93.
According to trial testimony, Rivers was a Virgin Islands National Guard member who applied for and received Overseas Housing Allowance ("OHA") proceeds between June 1, 2011, and June 30, 2015, for a residence she purchased on St. Croix, for which she held a mortgage through Flagstar Bank.
The OHA program is a reimbursement-based program intended to help defray the higher cost of housing for National Guard members located in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. In order to receive OHA proceeds, the National Guard member must submit and certify an application as well as provide documentation to support either an existing rental agreement or HUD-1 to validate an existing mortgage. Annual recertification is also required.
Rivers stopped making her mortgage payments to Flagstar by March 1, 2012, and a foreclosure motion for default judgment was granted to Flagstar on March 18, 2014. Rivers failed to notify the Virgin Islands National Guard of her changed circumstances as to her housing expenses, as required. In addition, she falsely recertified her OHA eligibility annually. As a result, Rivers fraudulently received OHA proceeds through the electronic transfer of funds into her USAA checking account until June 30, 2015. Evidence presented at trial showed that Rivers fraudulently received $71,345.93 from the OHA program.
The U.S. Army CID – Major Procurement Fraud Unit and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Two St. Thomas Defendants Convicted of Mailing Firearms: Evidence at Trial Reveals Scheme to Transport Numerous Firearms with Obliterated Serial Numbers from Atlanta to St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Shawn Tyson was found guilty yesterday of being a felon in possession of ammunition and of mailing firearms after a two-day jury trial in District Court, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. After jury selection earlier in the week, Natasha France, Tyson’s sister, who was charged with Tyson, pleaded guilty to two counts of willfully transferring weapons out of state to another unlicensed person, three counts of unlawfully mailing firearms, and three counts of delivering firearms to a common carrier without written notice.
According to trial testimony, on November 10, 2018, Natasha France, was captured on a United States Postal Service (USPS) surveillance video, walking into an Atlanta, Georgia post office and mailing six parcels to her brother Shawn Tyson at the St. Thomas Jet Center. Five of the parcels were subsequently intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, when the packages arrived in St. Thomas. Inside of the parcels, CBP officers found gun parts sufficient to assemble eight ATI Omni Maxx pistols, along with three additional lower receivers and other gun components. In total, nine of the eleven gun lower receivers were ATI Omni Maxx Hybrids, which constitute firearms under federal law. The serial numbers on all eleven of the lower receivers were obliterated, in violation of federal law.
After confiscating the gun parcels mailed by defendant France from Atlanta on November 10, 2018, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) discovered four additional parcels en route from Atlanta to defendant Tyson at the St. Thomas Jet Center. Those parcels were also intercepted by law enforcement. Two of the four parcels were mailed on November 13, 2018, and were addressed from Natasha France to Shawn Tyson, while the other two were addressed from Shawn Tyson to Shawn Tyson. The two parcels mailed on November 13, 2018 contained parts sufficient to assemble two Mini Draco, 7.62 pistols, while the two parcels mailed on November 14, 2018, contained the parts sufficient to assemble three ATI Omni Maxx hybrids, as well as two additional ATI lower receivers. The serial numbers on all seven of the lower receivers contained in the four parcels were obliterated, in violation of federal law. Evidence at trial proved that defendant Tyson paid for the parcels mailed to/from himself on November 14, 2018.
Evidence presented at trial established that between November 2, 2018 and November 9, 2018, defendant France and two associates collectively purchased nine ATI Omni Max Hybrid pistols from various gun stores in the greater Atlanta area. Thereafter, on November 11, 2018, France purchased two additional Mini Draco pistols—the same make, model, and quantity of firearms that she mailed to Tyson on November 13, 2018. On that same date, France, Tyson, and two associates were captured on surveillance video staging their arrival times at Elite Pawn in Conyers, Georgia, where the two associates purchased a total of five ATI Omni Maxx Hybrids.
The trial evidence also established that on December 13, 2018, while executing a search warrant, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recovered .223 caliber, 9 mm caliber, and .40 caliber ammunition from defendant Tyson’s locked bedroom in St. Thomas.
France’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 16, 2020; Tyson’s is scheduled for April 23, 2018. France faces a five-year maximum term of imprisonment on each of the counts of unlawfully transferring firearms and failing to provide written notice to a common carrier, and a maximum term of two years’ imprisonment on each of the counts of unlawfully mailing firearms. Tyson faces a ten-year maximum term of imprisonment on the felon in possession of ammunition charge and a two-year maximum on the unlawful mailing charge. France and Tyson are both facing federal firearms charges in Atlanta, along with others.
This case was investigated by CBP, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), USPIS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith J. Edwards and George Andrew LaTaif-Massucco.
Virgin Islands Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Officer Convicted of Bribery and Solicitation of a Bribe by a Public Employee Following Trial in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Robert Defreitas, an officer with the Virgin Islands Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA), was convicted at trial of Travel Act Bribery and Solicitation of a Bribe by a Public Employee.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in August 2018 Defreitas assisted with a DLCA inspection of a St. Thomas business, during which time he discovered that one of the company’s workers had not entered the country by legal means. Defrietas attempted to use this information against the victim. The victim later recorded a phone call in which Defreitas sought sexual favors in return for not reporting the victim’s immigration status. A recording of the phone call was played for the jury during the prosecution’s case-in-chief. Evidence at trial also showed numerous calls by Defreitas to the victim’s phone number and efforts by Defrietas to disguise the purpose for his phone calls.
Defreitas was remanded to custody following trial, and the court scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for April 15, 2020. This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Brooks.
Three Plead Guilty to Smuggling More Than $1 Million into St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Ashen Tirado-Tapia, Jahniel Fuertes-Robles, and Abdiel Rivera-Medina pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to smuggle over $1 million into St. Thomas by boat.
According to court documents filed in the case, on September 17, 2019, at approximately 1:26 a.m., the defendants, Ashen Tirado-Tapia, Jahniel Fuertes Robles, and Abdiel Rivera Medina, were onboard a 25’ center console vessel travelling with no navigation lights near the western portion of St. Thomas. A Customs Border Patrol Air and Marine (AMO) coastal interceptor vessel (CIV) from St. Thomas responded in an attempt to contact the vessel. When AMO activated blue lights and sirens to initiate a stop, the boat and its occupants increased their speed, forcing the agents to fire several warning shots, and eventually disabling rounds, into the motor. During the pursuit, agents observed Fuertes-Robles and Rivera-Medina throwing a black duffel bag and GPS overboard. After AMO stopped the vehicle, agents boarded and detained all three individuals. Agents identified defendant Ashen Tirado-Tapia as the boat’s captain. AMO agents returned to where they had seen the defendants throwing something overboard and recovered a GPS unit and the black duffel bag in the water. The duffel bag contained one million one hundred and twenty eight thousand nine hundred and forty dollars ($1,128,940.00) in U.S. Currency.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino. The defendants will be sentenced at a later date.
Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Carl N. Decicco, III pled guilty on Monday morning for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender; the day his jury trial was set to begin.
The defendant was previously convicted of first degree sexual contact with a minor under the age of thirteen. As a result of this conviction, defendant was required to register as a sex offender under both Virgin Islands and United States law. From March of 2018 until his arrest in August 2019, defendant failed to appear and update his registration forms as required by law. The defendant was arrested on August 14, 2019 by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donna Rainwater. The defendant will be sentenced at a later date.
Boat Captain Apprehended at Crown Bay Marina Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cocaine in St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Jehiel Peña-Estrada pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine yesterday in federal court.
According to court documents filed in the case, on the evening of September 16, 2019, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Caribbean Air and Marine Operations (CAMOC) began tracking a vessel travelling from the Maternillo area of Puerto Rico towards St. Thomas. The CPB Air and Marine (AMO) unit from St. Thomas located the vessel near the western portion of St. Thomas and followed it into the Crown Bay Marina. CMO agents detained two persons aboard the vessel, including Jehiel Peña-Estrada, later identified as the boat’s captain. The agents conducted a search of the defendant and located approximately $3,840.00 in cash and two baggies containing a white powdery substance later confirmed to contain approximately 15.7 grams of cocaine, a schedule II, narcotic controlled substance.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino. The defendant will be sentenced at a later date.
Two Plead Guilty to Smuggling More Than $1 Million in to St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Jose Ernesto Vazquez Colon and Abnel Belordo Colon pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle over $1 million into St. Thomas by boat.
According to court documents filed in the case, late in the evening of September 20, 2019 CBP Marine Unit agents noticed a boat traveling without navigational lights about three miles north of Savana Island. When CBP attempted to initiate a stop, the two individuals on the boat began throwing bags overboard, and these were later found to contain over $1 million in cash. After CBP agents disabled the boat’s motor they boarded and found, in addition to the two defendants, multiple dumbells with ropes attached. According to the affidavit filed in the case, these are often used to ensure that any contraband materials thrown overboard will sink to the bottom, so that they can be picked up later using GPS.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Sleeper and Nathan Brooks. The defendants will be sentenced at a later date.
St. Croix Man Intercepted with Two Kilos Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine at Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Zion Hazel, 22, of St. Croix, pled guilty on December 4, 2019, in District Court to one count of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
This federal offense carries a possible sentence of incarceration of 5 to 40 years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000 dollars, and a term of supervised release for at least 4 years. Sentencing is set for April 3, 2020.
According to court documents, on April 12, 2018, Zion Hazel, along with co-defendant Don-Luke George, conspired to bring 2010 grams of cocaine (2.01 kilograms) into the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport with the intent to transport the cocaine to Miami via American Airlines flight #2227. Specifically, George, who was employed at the airport, smuggled four bricks of cocaine into the passenger waiting area of the airport, and delivered them to Hazel in the handicap stall of the men’s restroom. Hazel was a passenger on the outgoing American Airlines flight, but was intercepted with the cocaine prior to boarding his flight by Customs and Border Protection officers.
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. The cocaine was analyzed by the DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
St. Croix Man Apprehended with 19 Kilos at St. Thomas Airport Sentenced to 51 Months for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Mikhail Munoz, 32, originally of St. Croix, was sentenced today for possessing with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Munoz to 51 months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, during which he must complete 300 hours of community service.
According to court documents, on May 20, 2019, Munoz checked himself and a suitcase in for a flight bound from St. Thomas to Miami. When Munoz’s checked luggage passed through inspection with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), it set off an alarm, leading to the discovery of 18 "brick like" items, each of which was wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and vacuum-sealed. Each of the brick-like bundles contained a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. Collectively, the bricks weighed approximately 19 kilograms.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the TSA, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
Two Narcotic Smugglers Charged After Being Stopped with More Than Five Kilograms of Cocaine on VesselRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Pedro Ramos-Guerra and Carlos Alberto Cuevas-Almonte were charged in a Bill of Indictment returned by the grand jury on November 21, 2019 with Conspiracy to Possess and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, and with Destroying Property Subject to Forfeiture Under Section 511(a) of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
The court filings allege that on October 24, 2019, Ramos-Guerra, a Venezuelan national, and Cuevas-Almonte, a Dominican national, were onboard a go-fast vessel first sighted by United States Customs and Border Protection approximately 75 nautical miles south of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The vessel displayed no indicia of nationality. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Diligence was tasked to intercept the vessel.
The go-fast vessel failed to comply with USCG instructions to heave to. Instead, bales of suspected drugs were tossed overboard. After the USCG fired warning shots, the go-fast vessel became dead in the water. The go-fast vessel’s occupants pulled plugs on board the vessel and, after taking on water, the go-fast vessel completely submerged. The USCG recovered from the vessel more than five kilograms of a substance that field tested positive for cocaine.
This case is being investigated by the USCG and the Drug Enforcement Agency, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
St. Thomas Airport Traveler Charged After Being Stopped with Approximately 136 Grams of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Aubrey Meyers was charged with possession of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
The court filings allege that Meyers purchased a ticket for a flight leaving the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas on October 27, 2019. At the airport, Meyers was referred to secondary inspection. A search of his luggage uncovered five small clear plastic bags containing approximately 136 grams of a white powdery substance that field tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an information is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Former Ranger American Security Employee Sentenced to 21 Months for Stealing $70,000 from Banco Popular ATMRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Clement Bougouneau, 52, of St. Thomas, was sentenced Thursday, November 21st for bank burglary and larceny, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Bougouneau to 21 months’ imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and 300 hours of community service. Bougouneau must also pay $70,000 in restitution.
According to trial testimony, on September 4, 2017, shortly before Hurricane Irma made landfall, Bougouneau used his access and inside knowledge as a twelve-year Ranger American employee to steal $70,000 from the St. John Banco Popular de Puerto Rico ATM. Video tapes presented in the courtroom showed live footage of Bougouneau removing cash from the ATM machine on September 4th. Another video showed Bougouneau’s subsequent interview with law enforcement, where he provided several different explanations of the events surrounding the September 4th heist.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
Two Narcotic Smugglers Charged After Being Stopped with 1,355 pounds of Marijuana on VesselRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Centeno A. Hansel-Andres and Cristian Valencia-Mendoza were charged with Conspiracy to Possess and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
The court filings allege that defendants were on board a go-fast style vessel that was intercepted by a United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter while on routine patrol. The USCG first sighted the go-fast vessel on October 18, 2019, at approximately 45 nautical miles north of Malpelo Island, Columbia. The vessel did not have any display indicating its nationality. The USCG boarded the vessel and successfully seized 21 bales of marijuana, consisting of approximately 1,355 pounds, and arrested the two individuals on board.
This case is being investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Virgin Islands Drug Enforcement Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Sleeper and Donna Rainwater.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
St. Croix Man Who Possessed Firearm in School Zone Sentenced to 5 Years Federal ProbationRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Samuel Melendez, age 43, was sentenced on November 21, 2019 after being convicted of Possession of Firearm in a School Zone.
District Court Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Melendez to 5 years of Federal probation, a $1000 fine and ordered Melendez to pay a special assessment of $100.
According to court documents, on or about October 8, 2018, Samuel Melendez possessed a Jimenez Arms .380 Semi-Automatic pistol at the Frederiksted vegetable market, which is within 1000 feet of St. Patrick’s Elementary School. The firearm was tested and found to be operable. The Defendant did not have a valid license to possess a firearm, and the firearm had moved in and affected interstate commerce
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.
St. Croix Man Arrested on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On November 21, 2019, Keithley Parris, 32, of St. Croix, appeared before Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon for an Initial Appearance after his arrest by Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents on the charges of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Parris was originally charged by Indictment on September 17, 2019, however, that Indictment was sealed until his arrest on November 21.
At the Initial Appearance, the United States moved to detain Parris. A Detention Hearing and Arraignment is set for November 23, 2019, before Magistrate Judge Cannon.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel H. Huston and Melissa Ortiz.
United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert reminds the public that an Indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Texas Woman Sentenced to Probation for Possessing Marijuana with Intent to Distribute at Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Kieantia Thomas-Okeke, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced on November 20, 2019, in District Court on count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Thomas-Okeke to a term of 4 years of probation with 100 hours of community service, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Additionally, the $39,980 in cash that was in her possession at the time of her arrest was ordered forfeited to the United States.
According to court documents, on March 5, 2018, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canine alerted on Thomas-Okeke after she exited inbound American Airlines flight #2317 from Miami, Florida, at the Henry E. Rohlsen airport in St. Croix. Thomas-Okeke was then handcuffed and escorted to the designated secondary inspection room. There CBP officers searched Thomas-Okeke along with her carry-on suitcase. Inside the carry-on suitcase, a green leafy substance inside plastic wrapped brick shaped packages was discovered along with stacks of cash. The substance field-tested positive for marijuana. The marijuana weighed 9.11 kilograms and the confiscated currency totaled $39,980. Travel records for Thomas-Okeke showed that she was traveling from Dallas, TX, with a layover in Miami and had planned to return to Dallas, TX, the next day. When asked about her compensation for traveling to St. Croix with the drugs and cash, Thomas-Okeke advised that her flight to St. Croix was paid for and she was going to receive $1,500 when she returned to Dallas, TX.
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. The DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami analyzed the marijuana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Four BVI Foreign Nationals Apprehended in Coral Bay, St. John, Charged with Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Mohammed Singh, a citizen of Guyana, and Jaisel Yroveles Del Jesus, Shadrach Thompson, and Tereim Grant, all citizens of the British Virgin Islands, were charged with knowingly and willfully entering or attempting to enter the United States at a time and place other than as designated by Immigration Officers. The four individuals made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller on Friday. After preliminary and detention hearings on Monday, Judge Miller released Mohammed Singh, Jaisel Yroveles Del Jesus, and Shadrach Thompson on their own recognizance.
The complaint alleges that CBP Air and Marine agents observed a vessel operating without navigational lights enter and depart Coral Bay, St. John. The CBP agents energized their lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vessel, but the vessel did not comply. CBP agents observed several of the occupants of the vessel jettisoning items into the water. CBP then disabled and boarded the vessel. After boarding the vessel, agents identified the four individuals on board as foreign nationals. Multiple individuals on board the vessel admitted that the vessel had travelled from the British Virgin Islands.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP Air and Marine, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Sleeper.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Fifth St. Croix Woman Pleads Guilty in Multi-Defendant Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Thema Liverpool, age 31, of St. Croix, pled guilty on November 18, 2019 to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, from January 2011 to July 2012, Liverpool and others participated in a scheme to steal money from the United States treasury by fraudulently obtaining federal income tax refunds. The scheme involved the acquisition of personal identifying information used to electronically file falsified tax returns for tax years 2010 and 2011. According to court documents, Liverpool and nine co-conspirators filed tax returns using individuals’ true names, actual social security numbers and dates of birth but falsified information regarding the individuals’ income earned, tax withholding amounts, credits, and other information. The scheme allowed Liverpool and others to claim tax refunds to which they were not entitled. Liverpool and her co-conspirators designated bank accounts for receipt of the refunds, which, once received, they withdrew and spent for personal use. As a result of the scheme, $128,040 was designated to Hughes’ bank account, of which $66,578 was actually deposited therein.
Of ten defendants charged in the tax fraud scheme, Liverpool is the fifth to plead guilty. Four others have entered guilty pleas one of whom has been sentenced. No sentencing date has been set for Liverpool. The remaining five defendants are scheduled for trial in 2020. Liverpool faces a maximum sentence of ten years and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alphonso Andrews, Jr. and Melissa Ortiz.
St. Croix Man Who Downloaded Images from the BitTorrent Network Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Thursday, November 14, 2019, Collin Gomes, 26, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about August 16, 2018, September 6, 2018 and October 22, 2018, a Grand Prairie, Texas police detective was conducting an online investigation on the BitTorrent network for offenders sharing child pornography. An investigation was initiated for a device on the IP address used by the defendant because it was associated with a torrent with a particular infohash [SHA1 Hash over the part of a torrent file that includes: ITEM: length(size) and path (path with filename) Name: The name to search for. Piece length: The length(size) of a single piece. Pieces: SHA1 Hash of EVERY piece of this torrent]. On each of the dates above, a download of files was successfully completed from the device that the defendant’s IP address was making available. Each download contained child pornography.
On December 14, 2018, HSI executed a search warrant on the defendant’s residence. Agents explained to the defendant what they were searching for and advised him of his rights. The defendant waived his rights and agreed to speak to the agents. They asked if he viewed, downloaded and made available for download any files containing images or videos depicting child pornography and the defendant said "yes." The defendant also told the agents he had an HP computer on which he had child pornography and that he had been downloading child pornography since 2011 and collected thousands of images and videos. He stated that there was approximately one and a half Terabytes of material. HSI found thousands of child pornography images and videos found on the defendant’s computer and external hard drives.
Gomes faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has been set for March 18, 2020.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
St. Croix Man Sentenced for Possessing 20 Pounds of Marijuana in His Luggage at the Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Dequan Forde, 22, of St. Croix, was sentenced on November 13, 2019, in District Court to one count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Forde to eight months incarceration with credit for time served, three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on January 31, 2018, Forde traveled on American Airlines flight 2317 from Miami, Florida to St. Croix. Upon landing at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, an x-ray examination of Forde’s luggage displayed unusual packaging. A physical examination of the luggage revealed a laundry bag that contained two vacuumedsealed bags containing suspected marijuana. The luggage was placed on the baggage carousel where Forde retrieved it. The total gross weight of the marijuana was approximately 9.40 kilograms, or approximately 20 pounds.
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Port Authority Police, Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. The marijuana was analyzed by the DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
Attorney General Announces Launch of Project Guardian – A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Initiative emphasizes enforcing gun prohibitions and will support
public safety efforts in the USVI
Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes. U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands, Gretchen C.F Shappert, emphasized that her office strongly supports Project Guardian, and the Virgin Islands U.S. Attorney’s Office will work with federal and local law enforcement partners to implement the initiative.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department of Justice’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the "Triggerlock" program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
"Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally."
"Here in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the level of gun-related violence is intolerable. Just this week, we have seen a 9-year-old child and a 19-year-old-college student whose lives were cut short because of gun crimes. Prosecuting violent offenders is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
We’re focused on the shooters, the gun traffickers, and those individuals who facilitate the distribution and purchase of illegal firearms," said U.S. Attorney Shappert.
Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge in the ATF Miami Field Division which includes the USVI concurred. "At ATF, reducing gun violence is our highest priority in our mission to ensure public safety. Getting guns off our streets and denying offenders the opportunity to possess them is integral to this mission. I am energized by my continued partnerships with the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands and officials from the territorial government. Project Guardian will aid us all in our mutual goal to reduce gun violence and improve the quality of life for all Virgin Islanders."
According to Doug Leff, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in the Territory and Puerto Rico, "Stopping the flow of illegal firearms and preventing deadly incidents is a common goal shared by all branches of government and the public. Project Guardian combines all of our best practices and lessons learned in order to increase our enforcement efforts and provide greater safety to our citizens. The FBI is proud to be a partner in this aggressive new initiative."
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:
1) Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
2) Enforcing the Background Check System. United States Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees.
Particular emphasis is placed on individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.
3) Improved Information Sharing. On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.
4) Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials. Each United States Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the United States Attorneys’ Offices’
case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.
Additionally, United States Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
5) Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination. Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
Virgin Islands Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that V.I.P.D. Officer Yomont King pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud.
According to court documents filed in the case, in 2018 King deposited stolen and forged checks into his personal bank account on multiple occasions, totaling $2,800. King will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department Economic Crimes Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Brooks.
Filipino National Indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse on Board a Cruise Ship Bound for the USVIRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today the return of an indictment charging a Filipino national, Louis Isom Mangampat, with aggravated sexual abuse. Mangampat was arraigned in federal court today in St. Thomas.
According to the indictment, Mangampat sexually assaulted a woman while on board a cruise ship bound for the Virgin Islands.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Blecher.
An indictment is merely a formal charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pittsburgh Women Sentenced for Conspiracy to Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Ngoc Nguyen, 22, and Fendi Brooks, 26, both from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were sentenced today for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Nguyen to 63 months imprisonment and Brooks to 77 months imprisonment. Judge Gomez also sentenced both Nguyen and Brooks to five years of supervised release and 300 hours of community service.
According to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers at the Cyril E. King Airport discovered 12 brick-like bundles of what appeared to be a white powdery substance smuggled into a suitcase Brooks had checked in under her name but that both Brooks and Nguyen claimed to share. Subsequent lab testing revealed that eleven of those bundles contained cocaine powder (approximately 10.9 kilograms), while one of the packages contained a kilogram of cocaine base (crack) (approximately 1.01 kilograms). Both Brooks and Nguyen had $1,300 in $100 bills on their persons.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
Traveler Arrested at Cyril E. King Airport for Possession of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Aubrey Meyers was arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, VI, for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
According to court documents filed in the case, on Sunday, October 27th, Meyers was attempting to travel from St. Thomas to Orlando, Florida. He was questioned by Customs and Borders Protection officials, and a search of his luggage revealed five clear plastic bags containing cocaine.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Brooks and Adam Sleeper.
A criminal complaint is merely a charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Thomas Man Who Used A-15 Rifle in a Robbery Senteneced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Arthur Greaves, Jr., 20, of St. Thomas, was sentenced today after being convicted of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Greaves to 10 years in prison. He also sentenced Greaves to five years of supervised release, 300 hours of community service and ordered Greaves to pay a special assessment of $100.
According to court documents, on May 17, 2018, Greaves pointed an A-15 rifle at an individual as the individual and his four year old son attempted to enter a residence on Garden Street. Greaves grabbed a gold chain from the individual’s neck and ran to a building on Bunker Hill where responding officers discovered him hiding under a stairwell. Greaves directed the officers to an adjacent abandoned building to reveal the rifle, a .22 cal. DPMS model A-15 with its serial number removed along with a double stack magazine and cartridges.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
President of Puerto Rican-based Engineering Company Pleads Guilty to Procurement Fraud and Kickbacks Related to Federal Courthouse Repairs in St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Reinaldo Cruz Taura, president of Puerto Rico-based RCT Mechanical Engineering, pleaded guilty to providing kickbacks in connection with federal government subcontracts to perform work on the federal building and courthouse in St. Croix, VI and on coast guard facilities in Puerto Rico. Taura will be sentenced at a later date.
According to court documents filed in the case, from June 2011 through June 2015, Taura paid over $1.2 million in kickbacks to a senior project manager for the prime contractor on the St. Croix and Puerto Rico projects. In addition, Taura falsely inflated the expenses billed under the subcontract in order to cover the costs of the aforementioned kickbacks.
This case is being investigated by the General Services Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of the Inspector General, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Brooks and Jennifer Blecher.
St. Croix Man Arrested for Allegedly Providing a False Statement and Concealing a Person from a Federal ArrestRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Clintford Joseph, Jr. of St. Croix was arrested October 10, 2019 on a warrant for the charges of Concealing a Person from Arrest and making a False Statement.
According to an Indictment issued by a Federal Grand Jury on October 1, 2019, Joseph is accused of concealing Paul Girard a/k/a "Bogus" from federal investigators from the period between October 23, 2018 through November 4, 2018. Joseph also faces a charge of providing a false statement to law enforcement on or about November 5, 2018 when he advised federal law enforcement investigators that he was unaware that Paul Girard, Jr. was staying in the bedroom located above the garage of an 84 Clairmont, St. Croix residence. Girard and others are charged in a multiple count indictment with operating a conspiracy involved in drug dealing, murders on St. Croix and armed robberies on St. Croix and St. Thomas.
Joseph was arraigned today in federal court.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G.A. Massucco.
United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert reminds the public that an Indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Former TSA Officer Charged with Smuggling a Kilogram of Cocaine Through Cyril E. King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Former TSA Officer Miguel Batista, Jr., 26, appeared yesterday before District Judge Curtis V. Gomez for an advice of rights hearing after being taken into custody by the Homeland Security Investigations at the Cyril E. King Airport. Batista, Jr. was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Gomez remanded Batista, Jr. to federal custody, pending his detention hearing on October 16, 2019.
According to court records, on Saturday, October 12, 2019, Batista, Jr. presented himself to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-departure checkpoint in an attempt to board Jet Blue flight #1035 to San Juan, PR. Batista Jr. was referred to secondary inspection where CBP officers noticed that he was wearing a suspicious under garment. When questioned about the under garment, Batista, Jr. told CBP officers that he was in a car accident and had to wear the garment for support. Further inspection revealed a hard, brick-shaped object concealed under Batista, Jr.’s under garment and duct taped to his left torso. After removing the brick-shaped object, CBP officers discovered a vacuum-sealed package covered in blue and white wrapping paper which contained a white powdery substance. The white powdered substance tested positive for the presence of cocaine, and weighed approximately 1.03 kilos.
This case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia L. Smith.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an information is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
Florida Contractor Pleads Guilty to Procurement Fraud Related to Federal Courthouse Construction on St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that David Wikel, president of Florida-based Therma-Seal Roof Systems, LLC, pleaded guilty to providing kickbacks in connection with the $1.7 million dollar federal government subcontract to retrofit the roof of the Ron de Lugo Federal Building in St. Thomas, VI.
According to the Information filed in the case, in May through October 2014 Wikel paid over $200,000 in kickbacks to a senior project manager for the prime contractor on the Ron de Lugo Project, and that person ultimately funneled $85,000 back to Wikel. The Information also alleges that Wikel falsely inflated the costs billed under the subcontract in order to cover the aforementioned kickbacks.
This case is being investigated by the General Services Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of the Inspector General, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Brooks and Jennifer Blecher.