CHARLOTTE AMALIE – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that a St. Thomas man was sentenced today to four years’ probation, a $1,000 fine, and 150 hours of community service for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court documents, Kahlid Blyden, 27, was involved in a car accident on August 21, 2020 in front of Rosa’s Place Bar and Restaurant.
A Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) responding officer arrived to see one car. The responding officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the badly damaged car. Blyden, the only person in the vicinity, was standing by the open driver’s side door of the wrecked vehicle.
The officer observed a backpack covering the gas and brake pedals. When asked why a backpack was covering the operating pedals Blyden responded, “I don’t know what you are talking about.
Officers proceeded to search the car. The backpack contained a large plastic bag of nearly one pound of marijuana. In the rear passenger floorboard behind the driver’s seat, officers located an AR-15 firearm and a box of ammunition.
Blyden attempted to flee while being placed under arrest but was detained after a brief chase.
The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) and the U.s. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
investigated the case.