CHRISTIANSTED — An anonymous tipster spotted a St. Croix man allegedly trying to sell guns and ammunition inside the Limetree Bay Refinery and immediately reported it to police, authorities said.
Danny J. Delerme, 23 of Constitution Hill, was arrested at 5:11 a.m. Tuesday and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession or sale of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
On February 4, officers received an anonymous tip that Delerme was seen with a firearm inside of Limetree Bay Refinery in Estate Hope, according to the VIPD.
“Contact was made with the refinery’s security personnel to advise them of the incident. Officers later made contact with Delerme and confiscated his backpack,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said. “A search warrant was obtained to search Delerme’s backpack and an unlicensed firearm and ammunition was found.”
An arrest warrant was obtained as a result, and Delerme was taken into custody, police said.
Bail for Delerme was set at $30,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
St. Croix District Chief of Police Sidney Elskoe expressed his gratitude to the member of the community who gave the officer the tip about the firearm.
“I encourage everyone who knows about a crime that is happening or is about to happen to come forward with the information,” Chief Elskoe said.
Anyone with information on crime can call 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950, or the paying anonymous tip line Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS.