CHRISTIANSTED — A previously-deported Dominican Republic national who used a fake ID to try to board a flight from St. Croix to Florida has admitted to his guilt in federal court, authorities said. Reynaldo Mejia-Mejia, of Santo Domingo, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr. to illegally reentering the […]
Tag: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
St. Croix Janitor Who Stuffed Cocaine Into Life Vests On Airplane To Get At Least 10 Years
CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix janitor who stuffed cocaine into airplane life vests for two accomplices to pick up the next day will get at least 10 years in prison for drug smuggling, authorities said. Luis Ortiz, Jr., 25, of St. Croix pleaded guilty on March 1, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller to […]
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. […]
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 […]
Haitian Illegal Deported From Florida 4 Years Ago Shows Up In St. Thomas Airport On Monday
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Haitian illegal who was deported from Miami nearly four years ago tried to sneak back into the United States in St. Thomas, authorities said. Dunford Joseph, 36, a citizen of Haiti was arrested on Monday at the Cyril E. King Airport on a criminal charge stemming from his illegal reentry into […]
Plaza Extra Cashier With 167 Pounds Of Marijuana In Luggage Gets No Jail Time
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A former Plaza Extra cashier with 167 pounds of marijuana stashed into three minors’ suitcases traveling with her but not related to her got time served from a federal judge. Idesha Patricia Sterrod, 32, was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 76 kilograms of […]
BVI Man Arrested For Bringing Four Haitian Nationals Into Territory
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A British Virgin Islands native was charged today with trying to smuggle four Haitian nationals into the territory. Ernest Williams, 25, of Road Town, Tortola, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with bringing aliens into the United States, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. Daline Ambroise, 23, Presuma Venette, 19, […]
Two South American Men Get Seven Weeks In Prison For Illegal Entry
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – Two South American men were given just over seven weeks in prison for coming to the United States illegally. Dionis Luiz Gomez, 31, of Venezuela and Roman Perez Hernandez, 34, of Argentina were sentenced today to 52 days for illegal entry, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller […]
Dominican Deported Last Year Gets 1.75 Years In Prison For Coming Back This Year
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A Dominican Republic native who was deported from the United States last year for drug trafficking got 1.75 years in prison from a federal judge for trying to sneak into the territory in May. Victor Gonzalez Rodriquez, 35, of Santo Domingo, was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for illegally re-entering […]