Category: U.S. Department of Justice

Second St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty To Robbing A St. Thomas Jewelry Store With A Gun

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man pleaded guilty for his role in the armed robbery of a jewelry store in 2020. Shemar Gianni Webster appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the U.S. District Court Thursday and entered a guilty plea to the charge of interference with commerce by threats or violence and […]

3RD TIME’S NOT A CHARM: Twice Deported Trinidadian Shows Up In St. Thomas Again

CHARLOTTE AMALIE – 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 atthe Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, […]

St. Croix Man Gets 5 Years In Prison For Moving 4 Pounds of Cocaine Through Airport Bathroom

CHRISTIANSTED — A man was given five years in prison for trying to engineer the movement of 4.4 pounds of cocaine through the St. Croix airport bathroom last year. Keithley Parris, 34, appeared before Visiting U.S. District Court Judge Ann E. Thompson and was sentenced today on one count each of conspiracy to possess cocaine […]

St. Croix Habitual Offender Deshawn Gonsalves Gets 4 Years In Prison On Gun Charge

CHRISTIANSTED — U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Croix man, Deshawn Gonsalves, 27, appeared before Judge Wilma A. Lewis, in U.S. District Court, and was sentenced today on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Judge Lewis sentenced Gonsalves to 48 months in prison, to be followed by […]

St. Thomas Man Charged With Smuggling 12 Pounds Of Cocaine At Cyril E. King Airport

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A man was arrested at the St. Thomas airport and charged with smuggling 12.1 pounds of cocaine, authorities said. According to U.S. District Court documents, Tyree “Ballers Man” 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. […]

‘High-Tech Stalker’ Stopped At Airport Based On Outstanding Warrant From California: VIPD

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A California man who was dubbed a “high-tech stalker” was detained at the St. Thomas airport Friday based on an outstanding warrant, authorities said. Michael David Kowitz, 56, of Los Gatos, was flagged at the Cyril E. King Airport after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents noticed he was wanted on weapons […]

Dominican and Puerto Rican Indicted By Grand Jury For Bringing Illegal Migrants By Sea

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — 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 each with transporting illegal aliens on their vessel, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert said. The Indictment stems from an incident occurring […]

Coast Guard Takes 4 Dominicans, 9 Haitians Back To Hispaniola After Voyages To Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN — The Coast Guard repatriated four Dominicans and nine Haitians to the Dominican Republic between Monday and Wednesday, following the interdiction of an illegal voyage near Rincon, Puerto Rico. The interdiction is the result of ongoing local and federal multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Border Interagency Group CBIG. “This successful interdiction is […]

Man Who Led Feds On Wild Boat Chase Around St. Croix Gets 6 Months Home Detention

CHRISTIANSTED — A man who led federal authorities on a high-speed boat chase around St. Croix after a shooting at Buck Island has been given a sentence of six months home detention. Aneudis Acevedo, 33, appeared in U.S. District Court in Golden Rock and was handed that sentence and other conditions on a charge of […]

Dominican National Tries To Enter USA By Using A False Name At CEK Airport

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A citizen of the Dominican Republic was arrested on criminal charges Friday at the Cyril E. King Airport because he gave false information to U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection agents. According to court documents, Luis Miguel Lopez, 28, presented himself to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for inspection at the Cyril E. […]