CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man who admitted to police that he had a gun under his car seat was arrested on Tuesday, authorities said.
Shamoi Allamby, 23, of Santa Maria, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday after police stopped him for having illegally-dark window tinting, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Allamby’s hands began quivering as he brought out his license and registration, police said. They also noticed that he had a gun holster between the driver and passenger seat and a loaded extended magazine in the driver’s side door, each in plain view, according to the VIPD.
“I’m going to be honest with you, the gun is under the seat,” Allamby said, according to a sworn police affidavit. Police found a Black Glock 27 with a conversion kit and eight rounds under the seat and said the magazine was loaded with 21 rounds.
He also admitted that he did not have a firearm license for the weapon in his vehicle, police said.
Allamby tested negative for COVID-19 and was held in the police station booking room until he could be transported to St. Croix on a chartered flight, because the St. Thomas jail remains on lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak there. He appeared in court via videoconference from Golden Grove prison Wednesday for his advice of rights hearing.
Superior Court Magistrate Judge Henry Carr III found probable cause for the charges against Allamby, including possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and possession of an unlicensed firearm within 1,000 feet of Calvary Baptist School.
Allamby works as a stock clerk for the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services and lives with his parents. Carr said he can be released to his mother’s custody and continue to work and live at home after signing an unsecured $25,000 bond. But he must abide by a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and not leave home at all on weekends, the judge ordered.
His arraignment is scheduled for September 18.