John McCarthy
CHRISTIANSTED — Two Estate Richmond residents were arrested today and charged with child abuse in connection to an alleged child rape at a St. Croix housing community, authorities said.
Francisco J. Carmona, 34 ,and Joanne Ruiz-Carmona, 38, each of D. Hamilton Jackson Terrace were arrested early today on bench warrants issued by the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Carmona was charged with first-degree aggravated rape, child abuse and first-degree unlawful sexual contact, according to the VIPD. Ruiz-Carmona was charged with child abuse and child neglect, police said.
“Detectives received a complaint in July of 2019 that a sexual assault occurred, and that several female minors were being abused,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
An investigation was conducted that lead to a warrant being issued for the arrest of Carmona and Ruiz-Carmona, Derima said.
Bail for Carmona was set at $150,000. Bail Ruiz-Carmona was set at $15,000.
Unable to post bail, Carmona and Ruiz-Carmona were each remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending advice-of-rights hearings.
