FREDERIKSTED — A 33-year-old Grove Place man was arrested on charges of illegal possession of a gun and ammunition as part of the Virgin Islands Crime Initiative (VICI) on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Euette A. Browne, of St. Croix, was arrested at 3:22 p.m. Wednesday and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession or sale of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“VICI officers found a loaded firearm in a vehicle operated by Browne during a traffic stop,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Browne does not possess a license to carry a firearm in the Virgin Islands, and was arrested for possessing the firearm, according to Derima.
Bail for Browne was set at $50,000, Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending an advice- of-rights hearing.
St. Croix District Chief of Police Sidney Elskoe credited the aggressive nature of the VICI, put in place by Police Commissioner Trevor Velinor, for the discovery of the illegal firearm and the subsequent arrest.
“This is another example of the Crime Initiative officers’ work to take unlicensed firearms off our streets,” Chief Elskoe said.
The VIPD urges everyone who has information on crimes to call 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950 or the paying anonymous tip line Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477.
“Remember, if you see something, say something,” the VIPD says.
All individuals listed as arrested or charged with a crime in this news article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.