District of the Virgin Islands
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of the U.S. Virgin Islands Commemorates April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - Every April, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the U.S. Virgin Islands join survivors, advocates, and communities nationwide in observing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual violence is far too prevalent, and it is important to not only raise awareness of the myriad forms of sexual violence, but to engage in meaningful prevention efforts, take action to hold offenders accountable, and to care for survivors in a trauma-informed manner.
U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert joins the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in applauding the recent passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022), which treats sexual assault as the serious violation it is and creates new programs and initiatives that provide survivors of sexual violence with increased access to services and justice. VAWA 2022 expands outreach to survivors in underserved communities, including by improving access to sexual assault medical forensic examinations for survivors in rural areas, providing community-specific services for LGBT survivors, and restoring Native American tribes’ jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators of sexual violence and sex trafficking, among certain other offenses committed on tribal lands.
“Sexual assaults are repulsive acts of violence. They are criminal offenses, and they must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted by law,” said U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert. “Absolutely no one should live in fear of being sexually assaulted or of being retaliated against for reporting a sexual assault.”
“During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and every month, OVW-funded programs across the nation provide essential services to survivors of sexual assault, responding to their needs, helping them heal, and supporting them as they pursue the justice they seek,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. “The impact of sexual violence is felt by the entire community and can devastate survivors’ lives, which is why it is critical that VAWA 2022 strengthens not just services and justice interventions but also prevention.”
OVW funds resources in every jurisdiction, to include the U.S. Virgin Islands. During FY21, OVW awarded $978,810 to the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands which included $270,782 to the Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (VIDVSAC). VIDVSAC is a non-profit organization specializing in domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and child abuse education. “VIDVSAC provides invaluable support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault-related offenses here in the Territory,” Shappert said. “VIDVSAC also sponsors important training and outreach initiatives to educate everyone about the consequences of these serious crimes.”
The U.S. Department of Justice OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone and there are many services available to help, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a local resources page on OVW’s website, which lists state sexual assault coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
Two Men Aboard Lights-Out Vessel Jettison 79 Kilos of Cocaine During Boat Chase Near Savanah Island, USVIRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that two Puerto Rican men were arrested today, March 29, 2022, in St. Thomas, USVI on criminal charges related to possession with intent to distribute 79 kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2022, Wesly Albert Amaro, and Brian Santiago Gonzalez, were stopped in the waters near Savanah Island, just west of St. Thomas, USVI. At approximately 4:00 a.m., the United States Coast Guard (USCG) detected a vessel operating without navigation lights traveling at a high rate of speed from Culebra, PR towards Hendrick Bay, St. Thomas. Customs and Boarder Protection Air and Marine (AMO) vessels responded as the USCG provided updates of the vessel’s location. AMO agents located the lights-out vessel using radar and attempted a stop. The vessel fled while the two men onboard jettisoned bags overboard. The vessel would not heave to, so AMO agents disabled the vessel’s engine. During the chase, AMO agents marked when and where bags were discarded from the vessel. Upon, returning to the marked areas, AMO agents recovered three duffel bags containing 79 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
Both men are charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance pursuant to 21 U.S.C §§ 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted, each man faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New York Man Charged with Making Bomb Threats Directed at a Business on St. JohnRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a New York man was arrested Tuesday, March 29, 2022, on St. Thomas on criminal charges related to making bomb threats that were allegedly made involving a business on St. John.
According to court documents, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Gilbert Brady, 54, after telephone calls were made to the Virgin Islands Territory Emergency Management Agent (VITEMA) 911 call center and the Beach Bar, in Wharfside Village, St. John stating that explosives were left at the Beach Bar.
On March 20, 2022, an unidentified male called 911 to report that he had left a "package with a timer on it" at the Beach Bar in St. John. The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) responded and evacuated the premises. No device was discovered. On March 23, 2022, an unidentified male called the Beach Bar and stated that he had placed an explosive under the stage and that it would detonate in 45 minutes. Employees recognized the caller as Brady who had recently been banned from the Beach Bar. Shortly thereafter, an unidentified caller called 911 and stated that, "whatever is under the stage at the Beach Bar in St. John is going to detonate and injure an awful lot of people." Again, the Beach Bar was evacuated, and no explosive was found. The 911 caller was later identified as Brady.
Brady is charged with willfully making a threat involving an explosive pursuant to 18 U.S.C § 844(e). If convicted, Brady faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Removed Dominican Republic Man Charged with Illegally Reentering the United States and Possession and Use of Fraudulent DocumentsRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested March 23, 2022 on St. Croix and charged by federal complaint with illegally reentering the United States and possession and use of fraudulent documents.
According to court documents, Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia , age 33, presented himself to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers for inspection to board a Spirit airlines flight from St. Croix, USVI to Fort Lauderdale, FL on March 23, 2022. He presented a Washington State driver’s license in the name of another individual with a photo of his likeness as proof of identification to travel.
During questioning at the primary inspection, Mejia stated he was born in Puerto Rico, however, the CBP officer noticed that Mejia’s accent was that of one distinctive to the Dominican Republic. A subsequent fingerprint check positively identified Mr. Mejia-Mejia, and record checks revealed he was previously deported by Immigration in 2018 and 2019 from the United States to the Dominican Republic. The driver’s license Mejia-Mejia presented was determined to be counterfeit, and Mejia-Mejia admitted that he had purchased it. Further, there are no records of Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia legally entering the United States. Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia did not receive permission from the Attorney General to reapply for admission to the United States at the time of the encounter on March 23, 2022, and Mejia-Mejia is not a citizen or national of the United States. Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia is a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic, and he was not in possession of the required legal documents to be present or to enter the United States.
Homeland Security Investigations and CBP are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz is prosecuting the case. Detention and preliminary hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in U.S. District Court.
U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman Arriving at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggling 6.6 Kilograms of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Yvette Simeina, aged 41, was sentenced to two years of probation and a $1,000 fine for attempting to smuggle 6.6 kilograms of marijuana through the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. Simeina pled guilty on November 22, 2021 to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, a felony offense.
According to court documents, on February 23, 2021, Simeina traveled from Miami, Florida and arrived at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. While conducting inspection of checked luggage, the CBP detected certain anomalies in Simeina’s luggage. Upon further inspection, CBP found 6.6 kilograms of marijuana hidden inside wooden boxes.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
VIPD Crime Prevention Bureau, Project Safe Neighborhoods, and Community Leaders Invite Everyone to Support the Oswald Harris Court Community on St. Thomas with a Walk Through the Neighborhood on Thursday, March 24th a 4:00 p.m.Read the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that members of the Virgin Islands Police Department Crime Prevention Bureau, the U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, and Community leaders, together with representatives from the neighborhood, will be meeting at Oswald Harris Court on Thursday, March 24th at 4:00 p.m. to walk the neighborhood and hear concerns from community residents.
U.S. Attorney Shappert noted that the Oswald Harris Court community has experienced tragic violence and death in the past several years. “On September 13th of 2020, residents of the Oswald Harris Court community heard gunshots in the vicinity of the basketball court. Moments later, 31-year-old Secori Akeel Elmes was found dead. His tragic death was one of several homicides for that year within the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Shappert said. “Recently, on February 16th, law enforcement officers responded on a report of a large fight and of shots being fired. During which, a 26-year-old man was stabbed in the neck. These senseless acts of violence profoundly impact our community,” said Shappert.
For more information about the Oswald Harris Court walk, please contact 340-244-6539.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to reduce gun crime in America through strategic partnerships between federal, local, and community stakeholders. PSN targets gun crime and gun-related violence, while supporting violence reduction strategies and the coordination of community-based partnerships. The goal is to create safer neighborhoods by reducing gun violence and fostering public safety.
Notorious Gang Leader and Members of His Enterprise Convicted on Racketeering Charges in the U.S. Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three members of a violent criminal gang were convicted today in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) by a federal jury for RICO conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, robbery, and drug dealing.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, the Paul Girard criminal enterprise committed murders and was involved in other acts of violence, targeted jewelry stores and banks for robberies, and distributed illegal drugs.
“These defendants terrorized the U.S. Virgin Islands through violence and theft,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdicts, and the guilty pleas of seven additional co-defendants in this case, demonstrate that the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to combating the threat of gang violence.”
“Today’s verdict makes clear that the people of the Virgin Islands will not tolerate violent criminal activity directed against their fellow islanders,” said U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert for the U.S. Virgin Islands. “These convictions mark the dismantlement of the Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise. This was a team effort. We are hugely grateful for the dedication of the prosecution team.”
"The use of violence and intimidation by these gang members to try and assert power over the people of the Virgin Islands failed,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. “These criminals thought they were untouchable, but today's verdict demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the FBI to investigate and disrupt criminal enterprises like this and demand justice for their victims."
“There is no greater threat to our nation than that of violence and fear in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “With this verdict, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands can rest assured in the FBI’s commitment to work aggressively to curtail violence in our streets. I’d like to thank our local partners for their work on this case and their continued support to the FBI mission.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Paul Girard, aka Bogus, 34, of St. Croix, USVI, was the leader of the group. Girard ordered shootings against rival gang members, as well as individuals he believed had stolen from or otherwise disrespected the gang. Girard planned, and his crew executed, several armed robberies including of the Divi Carina Bay Casino in St. Croix, as well as Gems and Gold Corner jewelry store, Signatures Jewelry, and 3Gs Jewelry and Repair located in St. Thomas. Most of the criminal activity was orchestrated by Girard from prison, where he is currently serving sentences for multiple prior criminal convictions.
According to evidence presented at trial, Tyler Eugene, aka Lucc, 24, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang, including murdering a rival gang member outside a convenience store at Girard’s direction. Kareem Harry, aka Crumbull, 34, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang including participating in the murder of a victim who was believed to have stolen money from the Girard gang. Harry also set up the shooting death of a rival gang member outside of the victim’s child’s daycare.
Girard was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of the use of a firearm resulting in death, three counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and four counts of using of a firearm during a crime of violence. Eugene was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of the use of a firearm resulting in death, two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Harry was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of use of a firearm resulting in death, and one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Because each defendant was convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, each faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Seven additional defendants indicted in the same case have already pleaded guilty to various racketeering charges.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards for the U.S. Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.
Notorious Gang Leader and Members of His Enterprise Convicted on Racketeering Charges in the U.S. Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
Three members of a violent criminal gang were convicted today in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) by a federal jury for RICO conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, robbery, and drug dealing.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, the Paul Girard criminal enterprise committed murders and was involved in other acts of violence, targeted jewelry stores and banks for robberies, and distributed illegal drugs.
“These defendants terrorized the U.S. Virgin Islands through violence and theft,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdicts, and the guilty pleas of seven additional co-defendants in this case, demonstrate that the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to combating the threat of gang violence.”
“Today’s verdict makes clear that the people of the Virgin Islands will not tolerate violent criminal activity directed against their fellow islanders,” said U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert for the U.S. Virgin Islands. “These convictions mark the dismantlement of the Paul Girard criminal enterprise. This was a team effort. We are hugely grateful for the dedication of the prosecution team.”
“The use of violence and intimidation by these gang members to try and assert power over the people of the Virgin Islands failed,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “These criminals thought they were untouchable, but today's verdict demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the FBI to investigate and disrupt criminal enterprises like this and demand justice for their victims."
“There is no greater threat to our nation than that of violence and fear in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “With this verdict, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands can rest assured in the FBI’s commitment to work aggressively to curtail violence in our streets. I’d like to thank our local partners for their work on this case and their continued support to the FBI mission.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Paul Girard, aka Bogus, 34, of St. Croix, USVI, was the leader of the group. Girard ordered shootings against rival gang members, as well as individuals he believed had stolen from or otherwise disrespected the gang. Girard planned, and his crew executed, several armed robberies including of the Divi Racino Casino in St. Croix, as well as Gems and Gold Corner jewelry store, Signatures Jewelry, and 3Gs Jewelry and Repair located in St. Thomas. Most of the criminal activity was orchestrated by Girard from prison, where he is currently serving sentences for multiple prior criminal convictions.
According to evidence presented at trial, Tyler Eugene, aka Lucc, 24, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang, including murdering a rival gang member outside a convenience store at Girard’s direction. Kareem Harry, aka Crumbull, 34, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang including participating in the murder of a victim who was believed to have stolen money from the Girard gang. Harry also set up the shooting death of a rival gang member outside of the victim’s child’s daycare.
Girard was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of the use of a firearm resulting in death, three counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and four counts of using of a firearm during a crime of violence. Eugene was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of the use of a firearm resulting in death, two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Harry was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of use of a firearm resulting in death, and one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Because each defendant was convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, each faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Seven additional defendants indicted in the same case have already pleaded guilty to various racketeering charges.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards for the U.S. Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.
Conartist Who Impersonated Various Government Officials Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Yamini Potter, age 36, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his convictions of Obtaining Money by False Pretenses and Obstruction of Justice.
According to court documents, from about May 2019 through October 23, 2020, the Defendant, acting as himself and others including federal Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller, former Virgin Islands Lieutenant Governor Osbert Potter, Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George, and retired federal Judge Curtis Gomez, contacted elderly victims requesting that they pay him large sums of money, which ultimately totaled over $100,000, to purportedly pay for lawyers and legal fees associated with various fictitious lawsuits. After the Defendant was arrested for his criminal conduct, he continued to use the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections telephone to contact victims of his fraudulent schemes on a recorded line. He also told the victims not to cooperate with the federal authorities in their investigation of the matter. He instructed the victims to delete text messages between himself and the victims.
The Defendant was sentenced to 33 months in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $ 120,650 to the victims and a special assessment of $ 200.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Georgia Man Charged with Possession of Firearms with Obliterated Serial Numbers That Were Mailed to St. ThomasRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Tyrone Ortiz, 37, of Rex, GA, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller yesterday for an advice of rights hearing following his arrest for possession of three firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
According to Court records, on March 10, 2022, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers in San Juan, PR seized a package that contained three (3) handguns with obliterated serial numbers. The handguns were concealed inside large surge protectors, and the package was addressed to a post office box on St. Thomas, from a sender located in Locust Grove, Georgia.
Postal records revealed that both the names and addresses on the package were not associated with the actual addresses, and that the addresses were invalid. Court records further revealed that the telephone number listed on the shipping label of the package was the phone number for the defendant Ortiz.
On March 11, 2022, HSI in San Juan, PR, transferred the USPS package to St. Thomas, and on March 15, 2022, agents removed the firearms and placed sham firearms in the package. Ortiz later collected the package from the post office, and agents tracked the package to Ortiz’s family home in the Estate Tutu area. The defendant was taken into custody and, according to court records, admitted that he was responsible for both shipping and receiving the USPS package. Ortiz also allegedly admitted that he was aware that the USPS package contained firearms.
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 proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, St. Thomas Resident Office and the United States Postal Inspection Services and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard Potter.
Airlines Passenger Traveling from Georgia to St. Croix Sentenced to Imprisonment on Federal Charges for Marijuana in LuggageRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert of the District of the Virgin Islands announced that a Georgia man with ties to St. Croix was sentenced today in federal court by Judge Wilma Lewis to 4 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Ra’Kheel Velasquez, age 24, of Georgia traveled to St. Croix on March 10, 2021 on a Delta flight originating from Atlanta, Georgia. Velasquez traveled with luggage containing approximately 1.76 kilograms (approximately 4 pounds) of marijuana in four individually wrapped packages intended for distribution. In addition to 4 months incarceration, Velasquez must also serve 3 years of supervised released, pay a $1000 fine and $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Customs Border Protection and Homeland Securities Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New York Man Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport with Carry-On Suitcase Containing 3.8 Kilograms of Marijuana Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Christopher Turnbull of New York pleaded guilty Tuesday, March 8, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were conducting screenings of arriving passengers at the Cyril E. King Airport on November 11, 2020, when Turnbull disembarked an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, NC. He was selected for inspection. Upon searching a black carry-on suitcase in Turnbull’s possession, officers discovered approximately eight different sealed packages containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for the presence of marijuana. The packages weighed approximately 5 kilograms. A laboratory exam confirmed the presence of approximately 3.8 kilograms of marijuana.
Turnbull, who originally departed from the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., claimed that while he was waiting at the gate for his connecting flight in Charlotte, N.C, an unknown man approached him and offered him $15,000 to transport the black carry-on suitcase to St. Thomas.
Turnbull is scheduled to be sentenced by a federal district court judge on June 23, 2022.
The Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Second National from the Dominican Republic Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Narcotics Charges Stemming from Haulover Bay, St. John ShootoutRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Joan Morales Nolasco, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the District Court and entered a guilty plea to the charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (18 U.S.C. § 924(c)). He faces up to life in federal prison. The sentencing date will be set by the Court.
According to Court documents, on September 25, 2019, a co-defendant drove Morales Nolasco, another co-defendant and two other individuals to Haulover Bay in St. John to conduct an exchange of two duffel bags that contained a large amount of U.S. currency and rifle type firearm for 100 kilograms of cocaine. The driver parked near a trail that leads to Haulover Bay. Morales Nolasco and his co-defendant exited the Jeep. Each of them carried a firearm. They both walked to a trail that leads to Haulover Bay. While on the trail, Morales Nolasco heard someone yelling at them in the English language. His co-defendant turned towards the direction of the voice and discharged his firearm. Morales Nolasco dropped his weapon and ran away on foot. He fled to the Dominican Republic and was subsequently extradited by federal authorities in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Second St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a St. Thomas Jewelry Store While Carrying a PistolRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Shemar G. Webster, a resident of St. Thomas, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the District Court yesterday and entered a guilty plea to the charge of interference with commerce by threats or violence and use of or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces up to life in federal prison. The sentencing date will be set by the Court.
According to Court documents, on Saturday, September 19, 2020, a white Suzuki Vitara arrived in the area of Gems & Gold Corner jewelry store located on the waterfront near Veteran’s Drive, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Webster and a co-defendant exited the white Suzuki Vitara with firearms and entered the Gems & Gold Corner jewelry store. Webster brandished the pistol he possessed and threatened the jewelry store employees and others. Webster physically assaulted the jewelry store owner using the firearm, striking the owner’s head. Webster and a co-defendant broke the jewelry showcases and took jewelry from the store. They then retreated from the jewelry store, got back into the white Suzuki Vitara, and were driven away from the area.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhood is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For
more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Stashing Five Kilograms of Cocaine in Life Vest Compartments Onboard American Airlines Flight to MiamiRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Luis Ortiz, Jr., 25, of St. Croix pleaded guilty on March 1, 2022, before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Five or more Kilograms of Cocaine. Ortiz remains on supervised release pending sentencing.
According to court documents, on June 20, 2019, Ortiz and a co-defendant recruited two individuals to smuggle five bricks of cocaine from St. Croix to Miami, FL, onboard American Airlines flight #2227 on July 11, 2019. On the evening of July 10, 2019, surveillance footage from the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport captured Ortiz, who was employed as a contractor to clean the aircrafts, boarding the American Airlines aircraft wearing an oversized jacket. While onboard, Ortiz walked directly to rows 17 and 18 and closed the windows of both rows. Eight minutes later, Ortiz exited the aircraft carrying packages that were consistent in size with the life vests that were removed from rows 17 and 18.
Later that morning, Ortiz’s co-defendant arranged with an American Airlines gate agent to preboard two persons who were later identified as the smugglers. Once onboard, Ortiz’s codefendant instructed one of the two smugglers to retrieve cocaine from the life vest compartments located under seats 17A and 17B.
Flight #2227 departed the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport at approximately 8:00 a.m., and upon its arrival in Miami at approximately 11:00 a.m., the two smugglers were arrested by Customs and Border Protection officers. Both pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and were sentenced in the Southern District of Florida District Court.
At sentencing, Ortiz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of incarceration and a maximum fine of $10,000,000.00. Ortiz also faces a term of five years of supervised release and a special assessment of $100.00.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, St Croix Resident Office,
and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith.The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at
https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Trinidad and Tobago National Apprehended at the Cyril E. King Airport Sentenced to 17 Months in Prison After Illegally Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a Trinidad and Tobago national was sentenced today to 17 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after he was removed.
According to court documents, Allan Browne, 49, presented himself for inspection in April 2021 at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, USVI, as a ticketed passenger on a flight to Miami, Florida. Customs and Border Protection officers determined that he was not a citizen of the United States and had not been granted any documentation to enter or remain in the United States. The officers also determined that he had been previously removed from the United States on or about October 2020 and September 2014.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Juan Albino prosecuted the case.
St. Croix Man Previously Convicted of a Felony Sentenced to 56 months in Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Lionel Woodley, 36, of St. Croix, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis, in U.S. District Court and was sentenced on the charge of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
Judge Lewis sentenced Woodley to a 56-month prison term, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2019, Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) officers stopped the vehicle driven by Woodley at around 11:30 p.m. for failing to observe a stop sign and passing on a double yellow line. During the traffic stop, VIPD officers noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from Woodley’s vehicle. The officers searched the vehicle and located a revolver in the center console, a bag on the front seat containing approximately 20 grams of marijuana, approximately 7 grams of cocaine, along with $105.00, and a scale. Police also found and seized $701 on Woodley’s person. Woodley did not have a license to possess the firearm and had previously been convicted of the felony offense of Attempted Robbery Second Degree by the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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St. Croix Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison After Attempting to Smuggle Two Kilograms of Cocaine Thru the Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
ST. CROIX, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Keithley Parris, age 34, appeared before Visiting Judge Ann E. Thompson, in District Court, and was sentenced today on one count each of Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Parris was previously convicted on those charges after a week-long jury trial on May 28, 2021.
Judge Thompson sentenced Parris to 60 months in prison (5 years), to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000 and a $200 special assessment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parris conspired with co-defendants Don-Luke George and Zion Hazel in April of 2018 to smuggle 2 kilograms of cocaine thru the St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport with the intent to transport the cocaine to Miami via an American Airlines flight. Evidence presented at the trial showed that Parris organized and planned the operation; recruited George and Hazel to participate; supplied the cocaine to George; paid George $1,000 to bring the cocaine into the airport; and subsequently directed and monitored the operation via text messages with George and Hazel while the operation was unfolding at the airport. As part of this scheme, on April 12, 2018, George, who was employed at the airport, smuggled the 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.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami analyzed the cocaine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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St. Thomas Man Arrested at the Cyril E. Airport for Possessing Approximately 5.5 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Thomas man was arrested on February 19, 2022, in St. Thomas, USVI on a criminal charge related to his alleged possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2022, Tyree Morton transported cocaine, weighing approximately 5.5 kilograms, including packaging, from a location within the Cyril E. King airport to another location within the airport.
Morton is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a) & (b)(1)(B)(ii). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix Man Apprehended in Lorraine Village, Frederiksted with Firearm, Ammunition, and Marijuana Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Deshawn Gonsalves, 27, of St. Croix, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis, in District Court, and was sentenced today on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Judge Lewis sentenced Gonsalves to 48 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,000, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on October 31, 2018, officers with the Virgin Islands Police Department responded to an apparent domestic dispute and 911 call at the Lorraine Village Apartments outside of Frederiksted. Upon their interaction with Gonsalves, he admitted that he possessed a firearm and ammunition in his vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Glock .45 caliber handgun, 2 additional magazines, 77 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, a ballistic vest, and approximately 98 grams of marijuana packaged in plastic baggies and vials. Additionally, the defendant possessed the firearm and marijuana within 1,000 feet of the Eulalie Rivera Elementary School. Gonsalves was previously convicted in Superior Court in 2014 of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm.
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Puerto Rican Resident and Dominican Republic Citizen for Transporting Illegal Aliens on a Maritime VesselRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – On February 17, 2022, a federal Grand Jury returned a seven-count Bill of Indictment against Alejo Ocasio Venerio, 31, of Puerto Rico, and Franklyn Grullon Jorge, 44, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, charging them both with transporting illegal aliens on their vessel, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced.
The Indictment stems from an incident occurring on January 12, 2022, when federal agents observed defendants boarding seven illegal nationals from India onto their vessel for the purpose of transporting them to Puerto Rico. Under federal law, defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
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 proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Previously Deported Haitian Citizen Arrested at the Cyril E. King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a citizen of Haiti was arrested on February 14, 2022, at the Cyril E. King Airport on a criminal charge stemming from his illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court documents, Dunord Joseph, 36, presented himself to Customs and Border Protection officials for inspection at the Cyril E. King Airport in hopes of boarding a flight to Orlando, Florida. Records checks revealed that Dunord Joseph had previously been removed from Miami, Florida, on December 18, 2018, and there is no record of him having obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission prior to being found back in the United States on February 14, 2022.
Dunord Joseph is charged with a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(1) for returning to and remaining in the United States after having been removed, denied admission, excluded or deported and doing so without the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 2 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix Man Sentenced for Fleeing from Park Rangers After Shots Were Fired on Buck IslandRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Aneudis Acevedo, age 33, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis, in District Court, and was sentenced today on the charge of Resisting or Impeding an Officer of the United States.
Judge Lewis sentenced Acevedo to three years of probation, six months of home detention with location monitoring, a fine of $10,000, and a $25 special assessment.
According to court documents, in the late afternoon of January 10, 2021, shots were fired on the Buck Island Reef National Monument after a fight occurred on the beach. Immediately after the shots were fired, Acevedo fled the scene in his boat at a high rate of speed while carrying several passengers. He fled from a National Park Service boat and officer, disobeying multiple orders directing him to stop. At one point during the pursuit, the boats physically came into contact, but Acevedo continued to flee. Acevedo forced the National Park Service boat to abandon the pursuit after he travelled into shallow channels by a reef. The United States Coast Guard assisted and approximately two hours later took the defendant into custody on the south side of the island of St. Croix. However, at the time of apprehension, boat passengers were no longer on the boat.
The National Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
###Native of Dominican Republic Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport for Making Materially False Statements to Government AgentsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – A citizen of the Dominican Republic was arrested on February 11, 2022, at the Cyril E. King Airport on a criminal charge based on his provision of false information to agents of Customs and Boarder Protection.
According to court documents, Luis Miguel Lopez, 28, presented himself to Customs and Border Protection for inspection at the Cyril E. King Airport. There, he presented what purported to be a Puerto Rican driver’s license bearing the name of another person and repeatedly told agents that he was a United States citizen born in Puerto Rico. An inspection of his baggage revealed a Social Security card and birth certificate bearing the same false name appearing on the driver’s license he had presented to Customs and Border Protection officials. Records checks revealed the documents were issued to others – not to a person with the name being used by Luis Miguel Lopez. When confronted with this information, Luis Miguel Lopez admitted to agents that he is a citizen of the Dominican Republic and provided his true name.
Luis Miguel Lopez is charged with a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2) for making a material false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch of the United States Government. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison and Fifteen Years of Supervised Release for Transporting a Minor Female to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ST. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that District Court Judge, Wilma A. Lewis, today sentenced Zayvon Acoy, 31, to 120 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to Transportation of a Minor with the Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity
According to court documents, on or around May to June, 2017, Acoy conspired with his co-defendant to transport the minor by vehicle from the Peter’s Rest area in St. Croix to his co-defendant’s residence in the vicinity of Beeston Hill, for the co-defendant to engage in sexual activity with the minor. The minor entered the residence and engaged in sexual activity as instructed by the defendant. After the sexual activity was concluded, the co-defendant gave the defendant cash as payment for the minor performing the sex act.
Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $1,000; a special assessment of $100; and an additional special assessment of $5,000. The court will schedule a mandatory restitution proceeding at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
St. Croix Man Apprehended in the John F. Kennedy Housing Community Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a Loaded 9mm HandgunRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a St. Croix man pleaded guilty on Friday, February 11, 2022 to felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 3, 2020, police officers were patrolling in the John F. Kennedy housing community. As they were approaching building 29, a group of male individuals were sitting in the archway of the building. Jahseen Simmonds, 29, ran up the stairs of the building and into an apartment on the second floor. When police knocked on the apartment door, Defendant exited the apartment and when he was asked if he lived in the apartment, he said "no." Police again knocked on the door and a female resident and a male came to the door, who stated that they did not give permission to Defendant to enter the apartment. After receiving consent to search the apartment, the police found a 9mm handgun, with 1 live 9mm round in the chamber and 15 live 9mm rounds in the magazine. There were also 31 live 9mm rounds in the extended magazine. These items were located on the balcony where Defendant had been. The residents stated that the firearm was not on the balcony before the defendant ran into the apartment and that it did not belong to them.
Defendant had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm while under indictment, a crime punishable for a term exceeding one year and the firearm was shipped in interstate commerce.
Simmonds pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Woman Arriving at Cyril E. King International Airport Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle 76 Kilograms of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Idesha Patricia Sterrod, age 32, was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 76 kilograms of marijuana through the Cyril E. King Airport.
According to court documents, on August 5, 2020, Sterrod traveled from California to the Cyril E. King Airport with several suitcases containing marijuana. The Defendant was traveling with three minor females, ages 12, 14, and 15, who are not related to her. While Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were conducting an inspection of the checked luggage, the CBP canine alerted to the scent of a controlled substance on a suitcase. The Defendant was observed retrieving the suitcases containing marijuana from the baggage claim area. Each of the three minor females also had a checked bag that was tagged in the minors’ names which contained marijuana.
Sterrod previously pled guilty in this case on May 17, 2021 to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security Investigations, and Virgin Islands Police Department.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.s. Attorney’s Office for the U.s. Virgin Islands Commemorates National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAPM), a time to raise awareness about this all-too-common issue, focus efforts on ending the violence, and share resources for teens experiencing violence, survivors, and their communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the U.S. Virgin Islands is proud to stand with survivors and share a new resource funded by the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the Teens and Technology Resource Series. There is a significant intersection of technology and teen dating violence, and misuse of technology is an increasingly common tactic on the part of harmful partners. The Teens and Technology resources aim to help adults who teach, work with, and care for teenagers understand technology from their perspective to empower teenagers to safely navigate relationships and technology use. These resources include examples of technology abuse, uses and misuses of social media applications, and five ways to engage with young people.
"Our teenage population should not be subjected to dating violence. Those who attempt to control a relationship through physical or emotional abuse lack the moral character to preserve healthy relationships," said U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert. "Speaking about teen dating violence, abuse, and unhealthy relationships is key in providing young people with the tools necessary to build and maintain healthy, meaningful relationships."
"The pandemic has made everything more challenging – for children and youth, advocates across the country have reported an uptick in online abuse as younger folks spend more time spent online," said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. "The Teens and Tech Resource Series can help adults meaningfully engage with young people, empowering them to recognize abuse and unhealthy relationships, prevent future violence, and use technology safely. Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month gives us the opportunity to put a spotlight on these projects, as well as OVW’s year-round commitment to ending dating violence."
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Safety Net Project developed the Teens and Tech Resource Series in partnership with eleven24, a teen violence prevention program dedicated to reducing the prevalence of relationship abuse and sexual violence through media literacy and identity affirmation.
The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or stalking, there are many services available to help, including:
• Teen Dating Abuse Hotline, 1-866-331-9474, text ‘LOVEIS’ to 22522, or visit loveisrespect.org;
• State, territory and tribal sexual assault and domestic violence coalitions, which can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved; and
• The StrongHearts Native Helpline, which offers online chat on their website and a hotline – at 1-844-7NATIVE (or 1-844-762-8483) and provides culturally-appropriate services and advocacy to American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence.
St. Thomas Business Owner Sentenced on Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) Wire Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Mashama Ferdinand, 38, of St. Thomas was sentenced on Friday to 33 months incarceration by Judge Robert A. Molloy on her wire fraud conviction. Judge Molloy also order Ferdinand to pay $383,397.00 in restitution to the United States. Ferdinand was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals, and upon release from prison, must serve a term of four years on supervised release.
According to court documents, on July 30, 2020, Ferdinand filed a PPP loan application on behalf of her company, Shama’s Specialties. The application fraudulently claimed that Ferdinand employed 15 employees and earned a quarterly payroll of $460,079.82. Court documents further revealed that Ferdinand electronically submitted her PPP loan application to Bluevine, Inc., and hours later on July 30, 2020, Ferdinand’s PPP loan application was approved in the amount of $383,397.00. Bluevine’s IP records revealed that Shama’s Specialties application package was processed by unnamed co-conspirators in Apopka, FL. Thereafter, on August 3, 2020, Bluevine deposited the PPP loan proceeds in the amount of $383,397.00 in Shama’s Specialties’ First Bank Virgin Islands’ checking account. On August 5, 2020, Ferdinand wired three separate payments in the amounts of $9,999.00, totaling $29,997.00, to three alleged co-conspirators as payment for their roles in processing her PPP loan application. Ferdinand also paid approximately $50,000.00 of the PPP loan proceeds to a business partner as a return on his investment in Shama Specialties. Months later, Ferdinand spent approximately $12,000.00 on dental veneers and $3,000.00 to pay off an American Express business credit card. As of the date of sentencing, Ferdinand reported having less than $10,000.00 of the PPP loan proceeds remaining. Records obtained from the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue confirmed that during 2019 and 2020, the period in which PPP loans were offered, no 501-VI nor 941-VI payroll records were filed on behalf of Shama’s Specialties. Ferdinand applied for PPP funds on two prior occasions, the first of which she received $85.00, and on the second occasion, her application was denied.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and Small Business Association Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith.
"The Paycheck Protection Program was intended to provide a lifeline to the nation’s small businesses and its employees" said Small Business Administration’s Inspector General Michael
Two Men Arrested for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 86 Kilograms of Cocaine Seized in French Town Neighborhood of St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that charges have been filed against two men for conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, following the seizure of 86 kilograms of cocaine and a firearm at a Frenchtown residence on St. Thomas. Yefri Martinez Herrera and Kelly Bruney were arrested Thursday, February 3, 2022, and made their initial appearances in federal court today, February 4, 2022.
According to court documents, Kelly Bruney is the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) which distributes kilogram quantities of cocaine to drug organizations in the Caribbean and owns kilogram quantities of drugs in St. Thomas. Yefri Martinez Herrera is described in court documents as a “broker”, who connects individuals looking to purchase kilogram quantities of cocaine with individuals looking to sell kilogram quantities of cocaine.
On January 18, 2022, Martinez Herrera and Bruney were involved in planning a drug transaction involving 200 kilograms of cocaine, and on February 3, 2022, Martinez Herrera and Bruney prepared to sell 86 kilograms of cocaine. However, the men could not agree on a public meeting location for the drug deal, because Martinez Herrera was fearful of law enforcement, due to the fact that he had a pending arrest warrant for conspiracy to transport aliens and bringing in and harboring aliens issued by the District Court of Puerto Rico.
Federal agents were able to identify the location and home where Martinez Herrera was staying with the drugs. When agents entered the home, they observed eighty-seven brick-like objects, later identified as cocaine, on the floor of a bedroom on the second floor and a Glock 23 pistol located in the same room.
While conducting a safety sweep of the home, agents located Martinez Herrera hiding inside one of the closets of a bedroom on the first level and arrested him. Moments later agents spotted Bruney in the vicinity driving a silver Tacoma. Bruney was also arrested.
This case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Air Marine Operations (AMO), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Puerto Rico Police Department and Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint 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.
Dominican Republic National Operator of the Underground Nightclub in St. Thomas Sentenced to Six and a Half Years and Ordered to Pay over $900,000 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Yohanna Gonzalez-McFarlane, 40, of the Dominican Republic, appeared before Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy and was sentenced on three counts of bringing illegal aliens to the United States for financial gain and for one count of transportation for prostitution.
Chief Judge Molloy sentenced Gonzalez-McFarlane to 78 months imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release. In addition, the Court ordered Gonzalez-McFarlane to pay a total of $942,007 in restitution, $400 in special assessments, as well as $20,000 in additional special assessments pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
Chief District Judge Molloy described Gonzalez-McFarlane’s admitted conduct – recruiting and harboring vulnerable women to work as prostitutes for her financial gain – as "heinous," pointing out that her offense involved profiting from twelve different women, one of whom had been only seventeen at the time Gonzalez-McFarlane recruited her.
"Human smuggling and the intentional manipulation of vulnerable women against their will cannot be tolerated," U.S. Attorney Shappert said. "We are grateful for the hard work of our law enforcement partners who exposed this crime and brought the defendant to justice."
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and assisted and supported by the Virgin Islands Police Department, United States Marshals Service, United States Postal Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Edwards prosecuted the case.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department's National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.
"Human trafficking is an insidious crime," said Attorney General Garland. "Traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will bring the full force of the Department to this fight."
"The investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes is one of the Department’s highest priorities. Federal law enforcement and prosecutors remain relentless in our efforts to bring traffickers to justice and to seek justice for the victims of these crimes," said United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands.
Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:
• Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
• Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
• Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
• Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.
• Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.
• Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
• Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and expertise.
• Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.
The department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.
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Puerto Rico Man Sentenced for Lying to Federal Agents After Cooler Containing $ 316,930 in U.S. Currency Found on His VesselRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that District Court Chief Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Blas Panzardi Davila, 38, to six months in prison and two years of supervised release, following the defendant’s guilty plea to making a false statement to agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to court documents, Davila was the sole operator of a vessel traveling without lights from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas on January 14, 2021. The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air Marine Interdiction Unit pulled alongside the vessel and inquired of the lack of lights on the vessel. Davila responded that the lights were not working. CBP marine boarded the vessel and discovered a large white cooler, and Davila denied knowing the contents of the cooler. Officers opened the cooler which contained $316,930 in United States currency. HSI agents subsequently questioned the defendant about the currency, and Davila initially lied regarding his knowledge of the currency and whether he owned it. The defendant subsequently acknowledged ownership of the funds.
The $ 316, 930 in U.S. currency and the vessel operated by Davila were administratively forfeited by HSI.
This case was investigated by Customs Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Falsely Representing Himself as a Citizen of the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a Colombian national pleaded guilty today to falsely claiming he was a United States citizen.
According to court documents, on December 8, 2021, Andres Bejarano, 33, presented himself to U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") officers for inspection to board a flight from St. Croix to Florida with a Florida driver’s license. It was later determined that the license belonged to his brother, Daniel Bejarano. When questioned, the defendant falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen. He subsequently admitted that he took and used his brother’s identification, because he was aware that he had an active warrant for his arrest.
Bejarano is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Huston is prosecuting the case.
Twice Deported Mexican National Arrested at Cyril E. King Airport While Attempting to Re-Enter the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Luis Enrique De Jesus Colin Ochoa, age 25, and a Mexican National, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller on January 19, 2022, for his initial appearance hearing following his arrest on January 18, 2022 on the charge of unlawful reentry of an alien after removal. On January 20, 2022, Ochoa again appeared before Magistrate Judge Miller for his detention hearing where Magistrate Judge Miller ordered Ochoa to secure 10 percent of a $25,000 bond and released him on home incarceration.
According to court documents, on January 18, 2022, Colin Ochoa appeared at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) primary inspection checkpoint at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, VI. Ochoa was a ticketed passenger on American Airlines Flight #1075 traveling to Charlotte, N.C. During CBP’s inspection, Ochoa presented a Mexican Passport which did not contain a United States Visa. Ochoa was then referred to secondary inspection for further records checks. While in secondary inspection, a routine records check revealed that Ochoa is a citizen and national of Mexico, and that Ochoa has no pending applications to enter or remain in the United States legally. Further examination of the records revealed that Ochoa was previously apprehended in the United States on at least four (4) occasions, and on two (2) occasions, May 16, 2018, and January 4, 2019, Orders of Removal were reinstated against him leading to his deportation.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and CBP, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 13.6 years in Federal Prison on Federal Firearm and Carjacking OffensesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Chriss Cepeda, 25, of St. Croix, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis in the District Court and was sentenced January 20, 2022 on the federal charges of Using a Firearm During a Violent Crime and Carjacking.
Judge Lewis sentenced Cepeda to 7 years imprisonment on the Using a Firearm During a Violent Crime charge, followed by a consecutive 80 month sentence on the Carjacking charge, for a total of 164 months in prison, with credit for time served. In addition, the defendant must serve a term of three years supervised release, pay a $1000 fine, a $200 special assessment fee, and restitution to the victims.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 10, 2017, the defendant, along with two co-defendants, broke into a couple’s home in Estate Rust Op Twist, on the North Shore of St. Croix, while brandishing a firearm. The defendants physically assaulted the male victim and threatened to kill the couple while demanding money. The defendants forced the couple at gunpoint into the rear seat of their Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck and drove to the location where the male victim had left his wallet. After obtaining the wallet, the defendants fled in the pick-up truck and a Jeep Wrangler. In addition to the vehicles, defendants stole $200 in currency, two iPhones valued at $600 each, and an iPad valued at $200.
The Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
The Virgin Islands U.S. Attorney’s Office Reminds Everyone that January is National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Shappert noted that the Department of Justice is commemorating the 11th Annual National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and emphasizing the Department’s continued commitment to combatting human trafficking in all its forms. “The investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes is one of the Department’s highest priorities. Federal law enforcement and prosecutors remain relentless in our efforts to bring traffickers to justice and to seek justice for the victims of these crimes,” Shappert said.
Human traffickers prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our society. They exploit victims and deprive them of their rights, freedom, and dignity. Traffickers engage in forced labor or commercial sex involving children or involving adults subjected to intimidation, fraud, or coercion.
The Human Trafficking Institute’s Annual Report, issued by the Human Trafficking Institute, stated: “Federal courts in the following states and U.S. territories handled the highest number of active defendants in human trafficking cases when taking population into account: the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the District of Columbia, Alaska, and New Mexico. Interestingly, the federal district court in the U.S. Virgin Islands handled four active defendants, the same number of active defendants as in New Jersey, even though New Jersey’s population is 83 times larger.” (P.79).
The Department of Justice is committed to continuing its victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to detecting hidden human trafficking crimes, holding perpetrators accountable, and restoring the lives of survivors, while strengthening strategic anti-trafficking partnerships.
The Department-wide approach to combating human trafficking extends beyond the prosecutions brought by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, to include interagency enforcement initiatives and strategic partnerships with global anti-trafficking allies. These efforts increasingly utilize specialized expertise in money laundering, financial crimes, and transnational organized crime to enhance investigations and prosecutions.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit develops innovative strategies on an ongoing basis to enhance detection and investigation of hidden human trafficking crimes. The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, as the largest federal funding sources for trafficking victim services, issues grants, enabling its grantees to serve clients. In addition, the Office for Victims of Crime administers its Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center to assist local and tribal organizations in starting, sustaining, and expanding their anti-trafficking efforts. The department continues to elevate the voices of courageous survivors, ensuring that their expertise and insights inform anti-trafficking efforts.
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month commenced on January 11th. The public is encouraged to wear blue in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, a national public awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. Learn more about the Blue Campaign here.
Each year since 2010, the President has dedicated the month to raising awareness about the different forms of human trafficking and educating people about this crime and how to recognize it. To learn more, visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/30/a proclamation-on-national-human-trafficking-prevention-month-2022/.
If you suspect an act of human trafficking in your area, you can report a trip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. This national, toll-free hotline is available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.
* * * *667 Kilograms of Cocaine Apprehended On-Board a Vessel Near St. Croix; Three British Virgin Islands Citizens and a Citizen of the Dominican Republic ArrestedRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that three British Virgin Islands citizens and one citizen of the Dominican Republic were arrested today, January 9, 2022, on criminal charges related to their alleged possession with intent to distribute 667 kilograms of cocaine on-board a vessel apprehended yesterday near St. Croix.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) detected a thirty-two feet vessel headed north towards the vicinity of the British Virgin Islands. When law enforcement approached the vessel, it was dead in the water. Captaining the vessel was British Virgin Islands resident Shannon John. Passengers included Sean John and Emmanuel Tolentino-Lebron, both also from the BVI, and Augusto Rodriquez-Molina, a citizen of the Dominican Republic. Federal authorities located approximately 667 kilograms of cocaine packaged in approximately 20 block-shaped bales onboard.
All four men were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on a covered vessel, and conspiracy to commit the same offense, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) & 46 U.S.C. § 70506(b). If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Puerto Rican Men Arrested On-Board a Vessel Near St. Thomas for Possessing 75 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands – Three Puerto Rican men were arrested on December 29, 2021 in St. Thomas, USVI on criminal charges related to their alleged possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a covered vessel.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2021, Pedro Juan Ramos-Ramirez, Johny Arias Rodriguez, and Gerald Albert Cruz were on-board a vessel in United States customs waters that was traveling at night without navigation lights. Agents from United States Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (“CBP-AMO”) activated their vessel’s blue emergency lights, siren, and navigation lights. Two passengers on the vessel then began throwing bags overboard. Once the passengers finished throwing the bags overboard, the operator of their vessel began to vary his speed and maneuver the vessel wildly, attempting to evade the CBP-AMO agents.
The agents rendered the engine on the individuals’ vessel inoperable. The three individuals on the vessel were then taken into custody. A subsequent search located three black duffel bags containing seventy-five kilogram packages of cocaine.
The three men are charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine on a covered vessel, and conspiracy to commit the same offense, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) & 46 U.S.C. § 70506(b). If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Colombian Nationals Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport for Improper Entry and Visa FraudRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Three Colombian nationals were arrested on December 31, 2021, at the Cyril E. King Airport on criminal charges related to their alleged improper entry into the United States and use of fraudulent visas.
According to court documents, Oscar David Mira Aristizabal, 49, Alexander Lopera Castaneda, 31, and Maria Eugenia Alzate Sosa, 29, arrived in St. Thomas, USVI by boat from St. Martin on December 27, 2021, without presenting themselves at a port of entry. On December 30, 2021, they presented themselves to Customs and Border Protection for inspection at the Cyril E. King Airport. There, they presented visas that showed signs of alteration and that lacked certain security features. A check of automated databases determined that the individuals had no pending applications for entry documents with Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Mira Aristizabal, Lopera Castaneda, and Alzate Sosa are charged with improper entry, under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1), and visa fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a). If convicted, each individual faces a maximum penalty of 126 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bvi National Arrested for Failure to Heave to While Operating a Vessel in Coral Bay, St. JohnRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – A BVI National was arrested on December 28, 2021, in St. Thomas, USVI on a criminal charge related to his failure to stop his vessel when ordered to do so by United States Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine (“CBP-AMO”) agents.
According to court documents, William Malone was operating a vessel in Coral Bay, St. John on December 28, 2021. CBP-AMO agents activated their blue lights and sirens to stop Malone’s vessel, and verbally ordered him to stop the vessel. Malone did not comply. Agents fired several warning rounds and, when Malone did not stop, fired a disabling round into his engine. Malone then turned off the engine, after traveling for a short distance.
Malone is charged with failure to heave to, under 18 U.S.C. §2237(a)(1). If convicted, Malone faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Conspiring to Bring over 6 Kilograms of Marijuana Through the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Jahvar Looby, age 31, of St. Thomas, appeared before Judge Wilma A Lewis, in U.S. District Court, and was sentenced today on the charge of Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana with Intent to Distribute.
Judge Lewis sentenced Looby to 7 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,500, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2021, Looby and three other co-conspirators flew into the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix on American Airlines flight number 2003 from Charlotte, North Carolina. Upon their arrival, Customs and Border Protection officers selected several pieces of luggage for physical inspection. The CBP officers observed anomalies while the luggage was examined by an X-ray machine. A subsequent search revealed several clear, vacuum sealed bundles containing a green, leafy substance, which later field-tested positive for marijuana. In total, approximately 6.33 kilograms of suspected marijuana was seized from Looby and his co-conspirators.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Casino Commission Contractor Stephanie Barnes Convicted by Jury on All CountsRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Stephanie Barnes, a 62 year-old resident of St. Croix, was convicted of three federal and local criminal charges today following a three-week jury trial.
Barnes was convicted of conspiring with former Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission Chairwoman Violet Anne Golden to embezzle or steal property valued at $5,000 or more that was under the care, custody and control of the Government of the Virgin Islands. As alleged in the Indictment and proven at trial, it was part of the conspiracy that Golden agreed to hire Barnes to serve as the Casino Commission’s first-ever “Certified Problem Gambling Specialist” although at the time she was hired Barnes had not yet actually received such certification. Golden agreed to use Commission funds to help Barnes receive that certification as well as her Master’s and, eventually, her Ph.D. The two women also conspired to use Commission funds to pay for Barnes’ personal vehicle repairs and gasoline, hurricane-related personal expenses after the storms of 2017, and lavish vacations including by chartered plane with VIP passes to the St. Kitts Music Festival. Barnes and Golden also extended their travel to casino-related conferences so as to enjoy luxurious hotel stays with meals and room service at high-end places such as the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and took excursions to Disney World in Florida and to see “Hamilton” on Broadway in New York, all at the Commission’s considerable expense. All told, the evidence established that Barnes received salary and benefits from the Casino Commission totaling over $600,000 in approximately three years.
In addition to the federal criminal conspiracy, Barnes was also convicted of violating Virgin Islands law by receiving money or things valued at $1,000 or more belonging to the Government of the Virgin Islands, knowing it to have been embezzled or stolen. Finally, Barnes was convicted of knowingly and willfully filing a false tax return in 2016 by reporting income of only $35,894, despite knowing she had received much more than that in funds stolen and embezzled from the Casino Commission and wages paid pursuant her unlawful agreement with Golden.
This case is being investigated by the Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation section. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Koster, who is currently serving as the office’s Criminal Chief, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Rikhye. Valuable assistance was provided prior to trial by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks.
Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy ordered Barnes to report to the U.S. Marshals by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, December 27, 2021, to begin serving her sentence. Her sentencing hearing will be held on April 20, 2022, at 9 a.m.
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Final Two of Ten Women Sentenced in Multi-Defendant Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Lynell Hughes, age 35, St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Nicolette Alexander, age 30, of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, were sentenced recently in federal court by Judge Wilma A. Lewis for their part in a 10- defendant tax fraud scheme to defraud the United States Government. On December 17, 2021, Hughes was sentenced to nine months incarceration followed by three years of supervised release for her part in a multi-defendant tax fraud scheme. Hughes also must pay restitution of $90,149.71 to the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.), which represents the amount of falsely claimed tax returns determined to be deposited into her bank accounts as a result of the scheme. She had pled guilty on August 18, 2018 to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. On December 21, 2021, Alexander was sentenced to a term of three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,537 to the I.R.S. Alexander pled guilty on May 14, 2021 to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. Per plea agreement, the remainder of the counts against the defendants were dismissed.
According to the plea agreements filed with the court, from January 2011 to July 2012, Lynell Hughes, Nicolette Alexander 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 of individuals (i.e. name, social security number, and date of birth) used to electronically file falsified tax returns with a designation of refunds to the acquired bank accounts or debit cards. Defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the deposited refunds, spent them using a debit card or transferred them to other accounts, all for personal use.
Of ten defendants charged in the tax fraud scheme, Hughes and Alexander are the final two to be sentenced and are two of nine to plead guilty. The tenth defendant, Jacinta Gussie, was found guilty in June of 2021 after a six-day trial of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, four counts of Theft of Government Money, and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft. Jacinta Gussie was sentenced on November 12, 2021 to 3.75 years of prison and ordered to pay $44,561.11 in restitution. The prosecution of this fraud scheme is the result of years of investigative work by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, which identified and dismantled a massive stolen identity refund fraud scheme perpetrated in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz.
Eight Men Arrested in Jet Ski Transfer of 26 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that eight men were arrested December 11, 2021, in St. Thomas, USVI for smuggling 26 kilograms of cocaine. On December 11, 2021 Wilfredo Vazquez Lopez, Jonathan Fernandez Montesino, Esteban Borrome Diaz, Smarling Villilo De Los Santo, Emmanuel Rodriguez Rodriguez, Jose Martes Gozalez, Guillermo Morales and Ben Carrasquillosanto, had their initial appearances before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr. on criminal charges related to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on December 11, 2021 at approximately 9:00 a.m., Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) air patrol detected four jet skis traveling from Culebra, PR towards St. Thomas, USVI. CBP-AMO air patrol surveilled the jet skis, each operated by a sole occupant, as they approached the west side of St. Thomas. Air patrol watched as the skis made way to the beach at Mermaid’s Chair where they were met by four individuals in a red Jeep Wrangler. CBP-AMO officers saw duffle bags being loaded on to the skis, and the skis quickly leaving towards Culebra, PR. CBP-AMO law enforcement vessels pursued the four jet skis towards Culebra, PR.
One driver drove his ski on to a Culebra, PR beach and fled on foot. He escaped capture. A duffle bag was recovered near the abandoned ski. Inside the duffle bag, officers recovered 26 packages which contained a substance that field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine. A third suspect was able to evade capture by splitting off in a different direction from the other skis. Two other operators, Gozalez and Carrasquillosanto, were apprehended. Gozales, a former Puerto Rican Police officer, was followed by CBP-AMO air patrol. His position was relayed to CBP-AMO officers on the water who detained Gozalez while still on a ski. Carrasquillosanto was seen by Puerto Rican Police Forces loading a black and purple jet ski onto a trailer at a nearby marina. He was shown a picture taken by CBP-AMO air patrol which depicted the operator of the purple and black jet ski wearing the same clothes as Carrasquillosanto. Carrasquillosanto admitted to being one of the operators of a ski that was seen at Mermaid’s Chair in St. Thomas.
DEA, CBP, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents stopped the red Jeep Wrangler that loaded the duffle bags on to the jet skis as it was leaving Botany Bay Preserve. Esteban Rafael Borrome Diaz (the driver), Wilfredo Ricardo Vazquez Lopez, Jonathan Fernandez Montesino, Smarling Villilo De Los Santo, Emmanuel Rodriguez Rodriguez, and Guillermo Morales were all detained. A Glock pistol was seen in plain view inside the rear pocket of the driver’s seat where Vazquez Lopez was seated. Another Glock pistol without a serial number was located in the center console.
On December 13, 2021, all eight defendants appeared before Judge Cannon via videoconference for their initial appearances.
All eight men are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance under 21 U.S.C §§ 841(b)(1)(B) and 846. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP-AMO and HSI are investigating the case, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Executive Office of the Government of the Virgin Islands was awarded $53,802 to administer PSN grant funds in the District of the Virgin Islands.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, including in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
"Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a tested and proven program to invest in our communities and foster vital partnerships,” U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. “A collaborative effort between federal and territorial partners is essential in reducing violent crime within our community.”
PSN grant funds will support strategies to address violent crime through coordinated enforcement, intervention, prevention, and reentry initiatives within the USVI. With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit: FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf (ojp.gov)
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The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Colombian National Detained at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Following His Attempted Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a Colombia national appeared before Magistrate Court Judge George W. Cannon, Jr. for an initial hearing on criminal charges related to his alleged attempted illegal entry into the continental United States.
According to court documents, on December 8, 2021, at the Henry E. Rohlsen airport on St. Croix, Andres Bejarano, age 33, presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers for inspection to board a flight from St. Croix to Florida with a Florida driver's license. It was later determined that this license belonged to his brother, Daniel Bejarano. When questioned, Bejarano claimed to be a U.S. Citizen. He later claimed to have a green card. He subsequently admitted that he was using his brother's ID because he was aware that he had an active warrant for his arrest. After being referred to secondary screening, CBP officers conducted a baggage inspection. Officers discovered that Bejarano dropped a black pouch under his seat that contained Ketamine, a schedule III controlled substance, and MDMA, a schedule I controlled substance.
As a result, Bejarano was charged by criminal complaint with Falsely Representing to be a Citizen of the United States, False Statements, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Simple Possession of a Controlled Substance. If convicted, Bejarano faces a up to a potential 5 years in prison and subsequent deportation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston is prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney 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 found guilty.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 4 Years’ Probation, Community Service, and Fine for Smuggling Marijuana in Luggage on Flight from San Francisco to St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Armando Antonio Mena, age 29, of Arizona, was sentenced by District Court Judge Wilma Lewis today to four years of federal probation, a fine of $3000, special assessment fee of $100, and 100 hours of community service. He had pleaded guilty on February 5, 2021 in federal court to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Armando Antonio Mena traveled to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands on May 27, 2020, on a flight that originated in San Francisco, California. On that flight, he transported checked luggage containing twenty-two individually wrapped vacuum sealed bags that contained just under ten kilograms of marijuana, the amount and packaging being consistent with drug distribution.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Virgin Islands Law Enforcement and Prosecutors Honored in Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force National Awards Virtual Ceremony for Operation Py Beto KiloRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI — United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that federal, state, local and territorial law enforcement and prosecutors were honored in a virtual Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) ceremony this morning. The awards ceremony included presentation of the OCDETF National Award for Outstanding Investigation to the District of the Virgin Islands OCDETF Program for Operation Py Beto Kilo. Awards presenters included OCDETF Executive Office and Regional Office personnel, representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration, USVI Superior Court Judge and former federal prosecutor Alphonso Andrews, and VIPD Assistant Commissioner Elskoe.
The awards ceremony acknowledged the contributions of 48 law enforcement officers, agents and prosecutors who contributed to the successful multi-year investigation, disruption, and dismantlement of a notorious drug trafficking organization that transported hundred-kilo cocaine loads from Colombia through Venezuela on fishing vessels across the Caribbean to St. Croix, Puerto Rico and Florida.
Operation Py Beto Kilo lead to the June 26, 2018 conviction at trial of drug kingpin Sergio Quinone-Davila and five codefendants on cocaine-related charges. The investigation ultimately resulted in convictions for 14 defendants, and seizure of 87 kilograms of cocaine and 8 boats.
According to U.S. Attorney Shappert, "Today’s ceremony acknowledges the tremendous contributions of dedicated law enforcement agencies and prosecution offices that work collaboratively to disrupt and dismantle major drug organizations. National recognition of our efforts in the Virgin Islands is a testament to the excellent work and dedication of our OCDETF Task Force partners."
Established in 1982, OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the United States. It operates as an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice and is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational organized crime. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Newport News Commercial Fisherman Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News commercial fisherman was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for evading payment of his federal income taxes for nearly a decade.
According to court documents, from 2006 to 2016, Alfredo Loya, Jr., 50, a commercial fisherman, worked as an independent contractor for a number of fishing companies in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere. Loya failed to file tax returns from 2006 to 2008 and 2014 to 2016. He filed returns from 2011 to 2013 but did not pay the tax owed.
Court records show that Loya failed to make payments to the IRS towards his assessed tax balances for tax years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013, despite being advised by the IRS and his accountant to do so. The combined tax, interest, and penalties for these tax years total approximately $148,026. Loya further failed to file Federal Tax Returns for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016, despite being aware of his obligation to report income and pay taxes on that income. The tax due for these tax years totals approximately $90,940. Loya is attributed with an overall tax loss of approximately $238,967. Loya took various steps to avoid his assessed tax balances. He dealt heavily in cash. From about January 1, 2012, through about December 31, 2016, he cashed 71 paychecks made payable to him from fishing companies, totaling approximately $840,400.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-29.